FIGURES OF SPEECH

USED
IN THE BIBLE
EXPLAINED AND ILLUSTRATED

By E. W. Bullinger, D.D.

'How is it that ye do not understand?.
Then understood they.¨
MATT. 16:11 , 12
INTRODUCTION
JEHOVAH has been pleased to give us the revelation of His mind and will in words. It is
therefore absolutely necessary that we should understand not merely the meanings of the
words themselves, but also the laws which govern their usage and combinations.
All language is governed by law; but, in order to increase the power of a word, or the
force of an expression, these laws are designedly departed from, and words and sentences
are thrown into, and used in, new forms, or figures .
The ancient Greeks reduced these new and peculiar forms to science, and gave names
to more than two hundred of them.
The Romans carried forward this science: but with the decline of learning in the
Middle Ages, it practically died out. A few writers have since then occasionally touched
upon it briefly, and have given a few trivial examples: but the knowledge of this ancient
science is so completely forgotten, that its very name to-day is used in a different sense
and with almost an opposite meaning.
These manifold forms which words and sentences assume were called by the Greeks
Schema ( ) and by the Romans, Figura . Both words have the same meaning, viz.,
a shape or figure . When we speak of a person as being 'a figure¨ we mean one who is
dressed in some peculiar style, and out of the ordinary manner. The Greek word Schema
is found in 1 Cor. 7:31 , ' The fashion of this world passeth away¨; Phil. 2:8 , 'being
found in fashion as a man.¨ The Latin word Figura is from the verb fingere , to form ,
and has passed into the English language in the words figure, transfigure, configuration,
effigy, feint, feign, etc., etc.
We use the word figure now in various senses. Its primitive meaning applies to any
marks, lines, or outlines, which make a form or shape. Arithmetical figures are certain
marks or forms which represent numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.). All secondary and derived
meanings of the word 'figure¨ retain this primitive meaning.
Applied to words, a figure denotes some form which a word or sentence takes,
different from its ordinary and natural form. This is always for the purpose of giving
additional force, more life, intensified feeling, and greater emphasis. Whereas to-day '
Figurative language ¨ is ignorantly spoken of as though it made less of the meaning, and
deprived the words of their power and force. A passage of God`s Word is quoted; and it
is met with the cry,¨ Oh, that is figurative¨implying that its meaning is weakened, or
that it has quite a different meaning, or that it has no meaning at all. But the very opposite
is the case. For an unusual form ( figura ) is never used except to add force to the truth
conveyed, emphasis to the statement of it, and depth to the meaning of it. When we apply
this science then to God`s words and to Divine truths, we see at once that no branch of
Bible study can be more important, or offer greater promise of substantial reward.
It lies at the very root of all translation; and it is the key to true interpretation . As
the course of language moves smoothly along, according to the laws which govern it,
there is nothing by which it can awaken or attract our attention. It is as when we are
travelling by railway. As long as everything proceeds according to the regulations we
notice nothing; we sleep, or we read, or meditate as the case may be. But, let the train
slacken its speed, or make an unexpected stop;we immediately hear the question asked,
'What is the matter?¨ 'What are we stopping for?¨ We hear one window go down and
then another: attention is thoroughly aroused, and interest excited. So it is exactly with
our reading. As long as all proceeds smoothly and according to law we notice nothing.
But suddenly there is a departure from some law, a deviation from the even coursean
unlooked for changeour attention is attracted, and we at once give our mind to discover
why the words have been used in a new form, what the particular force of the passage is,
and why we are to put special emphasis on the fact stated or on the truth conveyed. In
fact, it is not too much to say that, in the use of these figures, we have, as it were, the
Holy Spirit`s own markings of our Bibles.
This is the most important point of all. For it is not by fleshly wisdom that the 'words
which the Holy Ghost teacheth¨ are to be understood. The natural man cannot understand
the Word of God. It is foolishness unto him. A man may admire a sun-dial, he may
marvel at its use, and appreciate the cleverness of its design; he may be interested in its
carved-work, or wonder at the mosaics or other beauties which adorn its structure: but, if
he holds a lamp in his hand or any other light emanating from himself or from this world,
he can make it any hour he pleases, and he will never be able to tell the time of day.
Nothing but the light from God`s sun in the Heavens can tell him that. So it is with the
Word of God. The natural man may admire its structure, or be interested in its statements;
he may study its geography, its history, yea, even its prophecy; but none of these things
will reveal to him his relation to time and eternity. Nothing but the light that cometh from
Heaven. Nothing but the Sun of Righteousness can tell him that. It may be said of the
Bible, therefore, as it is of the New Jerusalem'The Lamb is the light thereof.¨ The
Holy Spirit`s work in this world is to lead to Christ, to glorify Christ. The Scriptures are
inspired by the Holy Spirit; and the same Spirit that inspired the words in the Book must
inspire its truths in our hearts, for they can and must be 'Spiritually discerned¨ ( 1 Cor.
2:116 ).
On this foundation, then, we have prosecuted this work. And on these lines we have
sought to carry it out.
We are dealing with the words 'which the Holy Ghost teacheth.¨ All His works are
perfect. 'The words of the Lord are pure words¨; human words, indeed, words pertaining
to this world, but purified as silver is refined in a furnace. Therefore we must study every
word, and in so doing we shall soon learn to say with Jeremiah ( 15:16 ), 'Thy WORDS
were found, and I did eat them; and Thy WORD was unto me the joy and rejoicing of
mine heart . ¨
It is clear, therefore, that no branch of Bible-study can be more important: and yet we
may truly say that there is no branch of it which has been so utterly neglected.
John Vilant Macbeth (Professor of Rhetoric, etc., in the University of West Virginia)
has said:
'There is no even tolerably good treatise on Figures existing at present in our
languageIs there in any other tongue? There is no consecutive discussion of them of
more than a few pages; the examples brought forward by all others being trivial in the
extreme and threadbare; while the main conception of what constitutes the chief class of
figures is altogether narrow, erroneous, and unphilosophical. Writers generally, even the
ablest, are wholly in the dark as to the precise distinction between a trope and a
metonomy; and very few even of literary men have so much as heard of Hypocatastasis
or Implication, one of the most important of figures, and one, too, that is constantly
shedding its light upon us.¨
*
Solomon Glassius (15931656), a converted Jew, and a distinguished theologian, in
Germany, two centuries and a half ago, published (in 1625) his important work
Philologia Sacra , in which he includes an important treatise on Sacred Rhetoric. This is
by far the fullest account of Biblical Figures ever published. But this work is written in
Latin, and has never been translated into any language.
* The Might and Mirth of Literature , by John Walker Vilant Macbeth, Professor of
Rhetoric, etc., in the University of West Virginia, New York, 1875, page 38. This work
was published simultaneously in London, but the edition had to be sent back to New
York, owing to the fact that there was no demand for it!
Benjamin Keach (16401704) published in 1682 his Troposchemalogia: or, a Key to
open the Scripture Metaphors and Types . He does not hesitate to avail himself largely of
Glassius`s work, though he barely acknowledges it, or the extent to which he is indebted
to it. There is much that is good and true and useful, with much that is fanciful, in
Keach`s volumes.
John Albert Bengel (16871752) is the only commentator who has ever taken Figures
of Language seriously into account as a key to the interpretation and elucidation of the
Scriptures. It is this fact which gives his commentary on the New Testament (which he
calls a Gnomon ) such great value, and imparts such excellence to it, making it unique
among commentaries.
M. John Alb. Burk has drawn up an explanatory Index of over 100 of these 'technical
terms¨ occuring in Bengel`s Commentary, and a Translation of it, by Canon Fausset, is
added to T. and T. Clark`s English Edition of Bengel, to serve as a key to that work.
Beyond this there is but little. Dr. McGill, in his Lectures on Rhetoric and Criticism ,
Glasgow, 1838, devotes one chapter to the subject of Figurative language, and describes
about sixteen Figures. Alexander Carson in a Treatise on the Figures of Speech,
*
classifies and names about forty-three figures.
Archdeacon Farrar in A brief Greek Syntax , London, 1867, has one chapter on
Figures, and describes a few, illustrating them from the classics.
Horne`s Introduction to the Bible devotes one chapter out of his four volumes to
'Figurative Language,¨ but confines himself to describing only ten Figures.
There are one or two small works of more recent date. The Rhetorical Speaker and
Poetical Class-book , by R. T. Linnington, 1844. He describes some 35 Figures, but uses
them only as a study for rhetorical effect, and illustrates them from general literature for
purposes of recitation.
The S.P.C.K. also published, in 1849, a course of lectures on the Figurative Language
of the Holy Scriptures, delivered in the Parish Church of Nayland in Suffolk in 1786.
Thus we are justified in saying that Bible students can find no complete work on the
subject of Figurative Language in its relation to the Bible.
There are several small works on Rhetoric. But Rhetoric is an adaptation of
Figurative Language for the purposes of elocution; and, treatises on Rhetoric hardly come
within the scope of our present object.
* Bound up in a Vol., with An Examination of the Principles of Biblical Interpretation ,
New York, 1855.
Translators and commentators, as a rule, have entirely ignored the subject; while by
some it has been derided. There is great need, therefore, for a work which shall deal
exhaustively with the great subject of Figurative Language; and, if possible, reduce the
Figures to some kind of system (which has never yet been completely done either by the
Ancients or Moderns), and apply them to the elucidation of the Word of God. The gems
and pearls which will be strung together will be exquisite, because they are Divine; but
the thread, though human, will be of no mean value. The mode of treatment is new and
comprehensive. It is new; for never before has Figurative Language been taken as a
subject of Bible study: it is comphrensive, for it embraces the facts and truths which lie at
the foundation of the Christian faith, and the principles which are the essence of
Protestant truth.
It is moreover a difficult study for the general reader, For, besides the difficulty which
naturally arises from the absence of any standard works upon the subject, there are three
other difficulties of no mean magnitude which have doubtless tended much to deter
students from taking up the subject, even where there may have been a desire to study it.
The first difficulty is their nomenclature . All the names of these figures are either in
Greek or Latin. This difficulty can be, to a great extent, cleared away by a simple
explanation, and by substituting an English equivalent, which we have here attempted.
The second difficulty is their number . We have catalogued over 200 distinct figures,
several of them with from 30 to 40 varieties. Many figures have duplicate names which
brings up the total number of names to more than 500.
John Holmes, in his Rhetoric made easy (1755), gives a list of 250.
J. Vilant Macbeth, (in his work already referred to), deals with 220, which he
illustrates only from English and American literature.
While G. W. Hervey`s System of Christian Rhetoric (1873) defines 256 with 467
names.
The third difficulty is the utter absence of any classification . These figures do not
seem to have ever been arranged in any satisfactory order. If the Greeks did this work, no
record of it seems to have come down to us.
The three great Divisions into which they usually fall are:
I. Figures of ETYMOLOGY : which are departures from the ordinary spelling of words.
These consist of some 18 Figures, such as
Aphæresis, front-cut , `ghast for aghast, `fore for before, etc.
Syncope, mid-cut , e`er for ever, o`er for over.
Apocope, end-cut , Lucrece for Lucretia, etc., etc.
II. Figures of SYNTAX or GRAMMAR : which are alterations of the ordinary meaning
of words.
III. Figures of RHETORIC : which are deviations from the ordinary application of
words.
With the first of these, we are not now concerned, as it has nothing to do with our
present work.
It is only with the Figures of Syntax and Rhetoric that we have to deal.
These have been sometimes mixed together, and then divided into two classes:
I. Figures that affect words .
II. Figures that affect thought .
But this is a very imperfect arrangement; and, as Dr. Blair says, 'Is of no great use; as
nothing can be built upon it in practice, neither is it always clear.¨
Another arrangement is (1) figures that are the result of feeling , and (2) those that are
the result of imagination . But this also is defective and inadequate.
In the absence of any known authoritative arrangement of the Figures, we have
grouped them in this work under three great natural divisions:
I. Figures which depend for their peculiarity on any OMISSION : in which something is
omitted in the words themselves or in the sense conveyed by them (Elliptical Figures).
II. Figures which depend on any ADDITION , by REPETITION of words or sense
(Pleonastic Figures): and
III. Figures which depend on CHANGE , or Alteration in the usage, order, or
application of words.
We have fully set out this arrangement in a Summary of Classification, and, in an
Analytical Table of Contents; where, for the first time, will be seen a complete classified
list of Figures, with English equivalents, brief definitions, and alternative names.
A figure is, as we have before said, a departure from the natural and fixed laws of
Grammar or Syntax; but it is a departure not arising from ignorance or accident. Figures
are not mere mistakes of Grammar; on the contrary, they are legitimate departures from
law, for a special purpose. They are permitted variations with a particular object.
Therefore they are limited as to their number, and can be ascertained, named, and
described.
No one is at liberty to exercise any arbitrary power in their use. All that art can do is
to ascertain the laws to which nature has subjected them. There is no room for private
opinion, neither can speculation concerning them have any authority.
It is not open to any one to say of this or that word or sentence, 'This is a figure,¨
according to his own fancy, or to suit his own purpose. We are dealing with a science
whose laws and their workings are known. If a word or words be a figure, then that figure
can be named, and described. It is used for a definite purpose and with a specific object.
Man may use figures in ignorance, without any particular object. But when the Holy
Spirit takes up human words and uses a figure (or peculiar form), it is for a special
purpose, and that purpose must be observed and have due weight given to it.
Many misunderstood and perverted passages are difficult, only because we have not
known the Lord`s design in the difficulty.
Thomas Boys has well said ( Commentary , 1 Pet. 3 ), 'There is much in the Holy
Scriptures, which we find it hard to understand: nay, much that we seem to understand so
fully as to imagine that we have discovered in it some difficulty or inconsistency. Yet the
truth is, that passages of this kind are often the very parts of the Bible in which the
greatest instruction is to be found: and, more than this, the instruction is to be obtained in
the contemplation of the very difficulties by which at first we are startled. This is the
intention of these apparent inconsistencies. The expressions are used, in order that we
may mark them, dwell upon them, and draw instruction out of them. Things are put to us
in a strange way, because, if they were put in a more ordinary way, we should not notice
them.¨
This is true, not only of mere difficulties as such, but especially of all Figures: i.e. , of
all new and unwonted forms of words and speech: and our design in this work is that we
should learn to notice them and gain the instruction they were intended to give us.
The Word of God may, in one respect, be compared to the earth. All things necessary
to life and sustenance may be obtained by scratching the surface of the earth: but there
are treasures of beauty and wealth to be obtained by digging deeper into it. So it is with
the Bible. 'All things necessary to life and godliness¨ lie upon its surface for the
humblest saint; but, beneath that surface are 'great spoils¨ which are found only by those
who seek after them as for 'hid treasure.¨

THE PLAN OF THE WORK IS AS FOLLOWS:
1. To give in its proper order and place each one of two hundred and seventeen
figures of speech, by name.
2. Then to give the proper pronunciation of its name.
3. Then its etymology, showing why the name was given to it, and what is its
meaning.
4. And, after this, a number of passages of Scripture, in full, where the figure is used,
ranging from two or three instances, to some hundreds under each figure, accompanied
by a full explanation. These special passages amount, in all, to nearly eight thousand.
We repeat, and it must be borne in mind, that all these many forms are employed only
to set forth the truth with greater vigour, and with a far greater meaning: and this, for the
express purpose of indicating to us what is emphatic; and to call and attract our attention,
so that it may be directed to, and fixed upon, the special truth which is to be conveyed to
us.
Not every Figure is of equal importance, nor is every passage of equal interest.
But we advise all students of this great subject to go patiently forward, assuring them
that from time to time they will be amply rewarded; and often when least expected.

THE USE OF THE WORK.
This work may be used either for the direct study of this important subject; or it may
be used simply as a constant companion to the Bible, and as a work of reference.
A copious index of Texts and Passages illustrated has been compiled for this purpose;
and will be found, with six other Indexes, and five Appendixes, at the end of the volume.
ETHELBERT W. BULLINGER.
25 Connaught Street,
London.
November , 1899.
NOTE ON FIGURES IN GENERAL
A FIGURE is simply a word or a sentence thrown into a peculiar form , different from its
original or simplest meaning or use. These forms are constantly used by every speaker
and writer. It is impossible to hold the simplest conversation, or to write a few sentences
without, it may be unconsciously, making use of figures. We may say, 'the ground needs
rain¨: that is a plain, cold, matter-of-fact statement; but if we say 'the ground is thirsty,¨
we immediately use a figure. It is not true to fact , and therefore it must be a figure. But
how true to feeling it is! how full of warmth and life! Hence, we say, 'the crops suffer¨;
we speak of 'a hard heart,¨ 'a rough man,¨ 'an iron will.¨ In all these cases we take a
word which has a certain, definite meaning, and apply the name, or the quality, or the act,
to some other thing with which it is associated, by time or place, cause or effect, relation
or resemblance.
Some figures are common to many languages; others are peculiar to some one
language. There are figures used in the English language, which have nothing that
answers to them in Hebrew or Greek; and there are Oriental figures which have no
counterpart in English; while there are some figures in various languages, arising from
human infirmity and folly, which find, of course, no place in the word of God.
It may be asked, 'How are we to know, then, when words are to be taken in their
simple, original form ( i.e. , literally), and when they are to be taken in some other and
peculiar form ( i.e. , as a Figure )?¨ The answer is that, whenever and wherever it is
possible, the words of Scripture are to be understood literally , but when a statement
appears to be contrary to our experience, or to known fact, or revealed truth; or seems to
be at variance with the general teaching of the Scriptures, then we may reasonably expect
that some figure is employed. And as it is employed only to call our attention to some
specially designed emphasis, we are at once bound to diligently examine the figure for
the purpose of discovering and learning the truth that is thus emphasized.
From non-attention to these Figures, translators have made blunders as serious as they
are foolish. Sometimes they have translated the figure literally, totally ignoring its
existence; sometimes they have taken it fully into account, and have translated, not
according to the letter, but according to the spirit; sometimes they have taken literal
words and translated them figuratively. Commentators and interpreters, from inattention
to the figures, have been led astray from the real meaning of many important passages of
God`s Word; while ignorance of them has been the fruitful parent of error and false
doctrine. It may be truly said that most of the gigantic errors of Rome, as well as the
erroneous and conflicting views of the Lord`s People, have their root and source, either in
figuratively explaining away passages which should be taken literally, or in taking
literally what has been thrown into a peculiar form or Figure of language: thus, not only
falling into error, but losing the express teaching, and missing the special emphasis which
the particular Figure was designed to impart to them.
This is an additional reason for using greater exactitude and care when we are dealing
with the words of God. Man`s words are scarcely worthy of such study. Man uses figures,
but often at random and often in ignorance or in error. But 'the words of the Lord are
pure words.¨ All His works are perfect, and when the Holy Spirit takes up and uses
human words, He does so, we may be sure, with unerring accuracy, infinite wisdom, and
perfect beauty.
We may well, therefore, give all our attention to 'the words which the Holy Ghost
teacheth.¨
ERRATA
The corrections from the Errata section of the print edition have been implemented in the
text itself. The one exception is an instruction to delete an entire paragraph from page
241. A footnote there marks that the example was marked for deletion in the errata
section, but the paragraph was left in place.
In addition, the following additional corrections were made to the present edition:
Page 46, Tim 2:3 changed to 1 Tim 2:3
Page 62, he to het in
Page 64, zayn to waw in and iv to yo and k to b in ( l’vikam eylayo )
Page 134, added accent to Mes`-o-zeugma
Page 181, ; , to ;
Page 181, Ps 24:22 to Ps 25:22
Page 197, missing page number set to page 114.
Page 242, Romans 7:31 changed to 8:31
Page 285, to
Page 318, asoeph to asoph, asoph to aseph in ,
Page 371, Matt 9 42 to 9:24
Page 414, 1 Thess 2:23 to 2:13
Page 464, Ps 134:21 to 135:21
Page 544, Nu 25:21 to 21:25
Page 587, Is 49:61 to 49:6
Page 615, Under discussion on Jer 26.9, verse 26 changed to verse 16
Page 619, Luke 24:54 to 24:53
Page 868, 1 Chr 13:19 to 2 Chr. 13:18; 1 Chr 28:18 to 2 Chr 28:18
SUMMARY OF CLASSIFICATION
First Division. FIGURES INVOLVING OMISSION
I. Affecting words
II. Affecting the sense
Second Division. FIGURES INVOLVING ADDITION
I. Affecting words
II. Affecting the sense, by way of
1. Repetition
2. Amplification
3. Description
4. Conclusion
5. Interposition
6. Reasoning
Third Division. FIGURES INVOLVING CHANGE
I. Affecting the meaning and usage of words
II. Affecting the order and arrangement of words
III. Affecting the application of words, as to
1. Sense
2. Persons
3. Subject-matter
4. Time
5. Feeling
6. Reasoning
APPENDICES
A. On the use of Different Types in the English Versions
B. On the usage of the Genitive Case
1. Of Character
2. Of Origin and Efficient Cause
3. Of Possession
4. Of Apposition
5. Of Relation and Object
6. Of Material
7. Of Contents
8. Of Partition
9. Two Genitives
C. On Homooteleuta in the MSS. and Printed Text of the Hebrew Bible
D. On Hebrew Homonyms
E. On the Eighteen Emendations of the Sopherim
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
A. Alford and his critical Greek Text.
Acc. The Accusative Case.
A.V. The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.
G. Griesbach and his critical Greek Text.
Gen. The Genitive Case.
Comp. Compare.
Cf. Compare (for Latin, confer ).
Imp. The Imperative Mood.
Ind. The Indicative Mood.
Inf. The Infinitive Mood.
L. Lachmann and his critical Greek Text.
LXX. The Septuagint Version (325 B.C. ).
Marg. Margin.
Nom. The Nominative Case.
P.B.V. The Prayer Book Version of the Psalms (from Coverdale`s Bible).
Part. Participlc.
Pl. The Plural Number.
Q.v. Which see.
R.V. The Revised Version, 1881.
Sept. The Septuagint Version.
Sing. The Singular Number.
Sqq. Following.
Tr. Tregelles and his critical Greek Text.
T. Tischendorf and his critical Greek Text.
WH. Westcott and Hort, and their critical Greek Text.
(10) A figure in brackets, immediately after a reference, denotes the number of the
verse in the Hebrew or Greek where the versification differs from the A.V.
= Denotes that one thing equals or is the same as the other.
FIRST DIVISION
FIGURES INVOLVING OMISSION
I. AFFECTING WORDS

Ellipsis
El-lip´-sis , a leaving in ( en ) in , and
( leipein ) to leave .
The figure is so called, because some gap is left in the sentence, which means that a
word or words are left out or omitted . The English name of the figure would therefore be
Omission .
The figure is a peculiar form given to a passage when a word or words are omitted;
words which are necessary for the grammar, but are not necessary for the sense.
A.V. The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.
The laws of geometry declare that there must be at least three straight lines to enclose
a space. So the laws of syntax declare that there must be at least three words to make
complete sense, or the simplest complete sentence. These three words are variously
named by grammarians. In the sentence 'Thy word is truth,¨ 'Thy word¨ is the subject
spoken of, 'truth¨ is what is said of it (the predicate), and the verb 'is¨ (the copula)
connects it.
But any of these three may be dispensed with; and this law of syntax may be
legitimately broken by Ellipsis.
The omission arises not from want of thought, or lack of care, or from accident, but
from design, in order that we may not stop to think of, or lay stress on, the word omitted,
but may dwell on the other words which are thus emphasised by the omission. For
instance, in Matt. 14:19 , we read that the Lord Jesus 'gave the loaves to His disciples,
and the disciples to the multitude.¨
There is no sense in the latter sentence, which is incomplete, 'the disciples to the
multitude,¨ because there is no verb. The verb 'gave¨ is omitted by the figure of Ellipsis
for some purpose. If we read the last sentence as it stands, it reads as though Jesus gave
the disciples to the multitude!
This at once serves to arrest our attention; it causes us to note the figure employed;
we observe the emphasis; we learn the intended lesson. What is it? Why, this; we are
asked to dwell on the fact that the disciples gave the bread, but only instrumentally, not
really. The Lord Jesus Himself was the alone Giver of that bread. Our thoughts are thus,
at once, centred on Him and not on the disciples.
These Ellipses are variously dealt with in the English Versions (both Authorized and
Revised). In many cases they are correctly supplied by italics . In some cases the
sentences are very erroneously completed. Sometimes an Ellipsis in the Text is not seen,
and therefore is not taken into account in the Translation. Sometimes an Ellipsis is
imagined and supplied where none really exists in the original.
Where an Ellipsis is wrongly supplied, or not supplied at all, the words of the Text
have to be very freely translated in order to make sense, and their literal meaning is
sometimes widely departed from.
But on the other hand, where we correctly supply the Ellipsisone word, it may be
it at once enables us to take all the other words of the passage in their literal signification.
This is in itself an enormous gain, to say nothing of the wonderful light that may be thus
thrown upon the Scripture.
These Ellipses must not be arbitrarily supplied according to our own individual
views; we are not at liberty to insert any words, according to our own fancies: but they
are all scientifically arranged and classified, and each must therefore be filled up,
according to definite principles which are well ascertained, and in obedience to laws
which are carefully laid down.
Ellipsis is of three kinds:
Absolute Ellipsis,
Relative Ellipsis, and the
Ellipsis of Repetition:
A. Absolute , where the omitted word or words are to be supplied from the nature
of the subject alone.
B. Relative , where the omitted word or words are to be supplied from, and are
suggested by the context .
C. The Ellipsis of Repetition , where the omitted word or words are to be supplied
by repeating them from a clause which precedes or follows.
These three great divisions may be further set forth as follows:
A. ABSOLUTE ELLIPSIS , where the omitted word or words are to be supplied from
the nature of the subject.
I. Nouns and Pronouns.
1. The Nominative.
2. The Accusative.
3. Pronouns.
4. Other connected words.
II. Verbs and Participles:
1. When the verb finite is wanting:
a. especially the verb to say .
2. When the verb infinitive is wanting:
a. after to be able .
b. after the verb to finish .
c. after another verb, personal or impersonal.
3. When the verb substantive is wanting.
4. When the participle is wanting.
III. Certain connected words in the same member of a passage.
IV. A whole clause in a connected passage:
1. The first clause.
2. The latter clause or Apodosis ( Anantapodoton ).
3. A comparison.
B. RELATIVE ELLIPSIS
I. Where the omitted word is to be supplied from a cognate word in the
context.
1. The noun from the verb.
2. The verb from the noun.
II. Where the omitted word is to be supplied from a contrary word.
III. Where the omitted word is to be supplied from analogous or related words.
IV. Where the omitted word is contained in another word: the one word
comprising the two significations( Concisa Locutio , Syntheton or
Compositio, Constructio Prægnans ).
C. ELLIPSIS OF REPETITION
I. Simple: where the Ellipsis is to be supplied from a preceding or a succeeding
clause.
1. From a preceding clause.
a. Nouns and Pronouns.
b. Verbs.
c. Particles.
i) Negatives.
ii) Interrogatives.
d. Sentences.
2. From a succeeding clause.
II. Complex: where the two clauses are mutually involved, and the Ellipsis in
the former clause is to be supplied from the latter, and at the same time an
Ellipsis in the latter clause is to be supplied from the former. (Called also
Semiduplex Oratio ).
1. Single words.
2. Sentences.
A. ABSOLUTE ELLIPSIS:
That is, the omission of words or terms which must be supplied only from the nature of
the subject . The omitted word may be a noun, adjective, pronoun, verb, participle,
adverb, preposition.
I. The Omission of Nouns and Pronouns
1. The Omission of the NOMINATIVE
Gen. 14:19 , 20 . Melchizedek said to Abram, 'Blessed be the most high God, which
hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand. And he [ i.e., Abram ] gave him tithes of
all.¨
From the context, as well as from Heb. 7:4 , it is clear that it was Abram who gave the
tithes to Melchizedek, and not Melchizedek to Abram.
Gen. 39:6 . 'And he left all that he had in Joseph`s hand; and he knew not ought he
had, save the bread Which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person , and well-
favoured.¨
Here it is not at all clear which it was of the two who 'knew not ought he had.¨ If we
understand Potiphar, it is difficult to see how he only knew the bread he ate: or if Joseph,
it is difficult to understand how he knew not ought he had.
If the Ellipsis , however, is rightly supplied, it makes it all clear.
The verse may be rendered, and the Ellipsis supplied as follows: 'And he [
Potiphar ] left all that he had in Joseph`s hand: and he [ Potiphar ] knew not anything
save the bread which he was eating. And Joseph was beautiful of figure, and beautiful of
appearance.¨
All difficulty is removed when we remember that 'the Egyptians might not eat bread
with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians¨ ( 43:32 ). Everything,
therefore, was committed by Potiphar to Joseph`s care, except that which pertained to the
matter of food.
2 Sam. 3:7 . 'And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of
Aiah, and . said to Abner, Wherefore, etc.¨
Here it is clear from the Sense of the next verse and 2 Sam. 21:8 that ' Ishbosheth ¨ is
the word to be supplied, as is done in italics.
2 Sam. 23:20 . 'He slew two lionlike men of Moab.¨
The Massorah points out
*
that the word Ariel occurs three times, in this passage and
Isa. 29:1 . In Isa. the word is twice transliterated as a proper name, while in 2 Sam. 23:20
, margin, it is translated lions of God: the first part of the word ( aree ) a lion , and
the second part ( l ) God . But if we keep it uniformly and consistently as a proper
name we have with the Ellipsis of the accusative ( sons ) the following sense: 'He slew
the two sons of Ariel of Moab.¨
2 Sam. 24:1 . 'And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he
moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.¨
Here the nominative to the verb 'moved¨ is wanting. Someone moved, and who that
was we learn from 1 Chron. 21:1 , from which it is clear that the word Satan or the
Adversary is to be supplied, as is done in the margin:'And again the anger of the LORD
was kindled against Israel, and [ the Adversary ] moved David against them to say, Go,
number Israel and Judah.¨
1 Chron. 6:28 ( 12 ). 'And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni ( marg. , called
also Joel , ver. 33 and 1 Sam. 8:2 ) and Abiah.¨
Here there is an Ellipsis of the name of the firstborn: while the word , Vashni ,
when otherwise pointed ( ) means ' and the second”! so that the verse reads,
'And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn [ Joel ] and the second Abiah.¨ This agrees
with the Syriac Version. The R.V. correctly supplies the Ellipsis, and translates vashni
'and the second.¨
* Ginsburg`s Edition, Vol. i., p. 106.
marg. Margin.
'Joel¨ is supplied from ver. 33 (see also 1 Sam. 8:2 , and the note in Ginsburg`s
edition of the Hebrew Bible).
Ps. 34:17 . '[ They ] cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their
troubles.¨
The immediate subject in ver. 16 is evildoers . But it is not these who cry. It is the
righteous. Hence the A.V. and the R.V. supply the words ' the righteous ¨ in italics. The
nominative is omitted, in order that our attention may be fixed not on their persons or
their characters, but upon their cry, and the Lord`s gracious answer.
The same design is seen in all similar cases.
Ps. 105:40 . '[They] asked, and he brought quails,¨ i.e. , the People asked. The
nominative is supplied in the A.V. But the R.V. translates it literally 'They asked.¨
Prov. 22:27 . 'If thou hast nothing to pay, why should one [ i.e., the creditor ] take
away thy bed from under thee?¨
Isa. 26:1 . 'In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; we have a strong
city; salvation will one [ i.e. God ] appoint for walls and bulwarks.¨
The A.V. interprets by supplying the nominative. The R.V. translates it literally.
Jer. 51:19 . 'He is the former of all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance.¨
Here both the A.V. and R.V. supply the Ellipsis from 10:16 . Had it been supplied
from the immediate context, it would have come under the head of Relative Ellipsis , or
that of Repetition.
Ezek. 46:12 . 'Now when the Prince shall prepare a voluntary offering or peace
offerings voluntarily unto the LORD , one shall then open him the gate that looketh toward
the East, &c.,¨ i.e. , the gate-keeper (supplied from the noun , the gate ),
which follows, shall open the gate.
Zech. 7:2 . 'When they ( Heb. he) had sent unto the house of God, Sherezer and
Regem-melech and their men, to pray before the LORD ¨ [ i.e. , when the people who had
returned to Judea had sent].
Matt. 16:22 . 'Be it far from Thee, Lord.¨
Here the Ellipsis in the Greek is destroyed by the translation. The Greek reads, '
, ¨ ( hile s soi, kyrie ), which is untranslatable literally, unless we supply
the Ellipsis of the Nominative, thus: '[ God be ] merciful to Thee, Lord!¨ Thus it is in the
R.V. The Revised Version, 1881.
Septuagint 1 Chron. 11:19 , where it is rendered 'God forbid that I should do this thing,¨
but it ought to be, '[ God ] be merciful to me [ to keep me from doing ] this thing.¨
Acts 13:29 . 'And when they had fulfilled all that was written, of him, they took him
down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre,¨ i.e. , Joseph of Arimathæa and
Nicodemus took him down. But it is the act which we are to think of here rather than the
persons who did it. Hence the Ellipsis .
1 Cor. 15:25 . 'For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet,¨ i.e. , 'he
[ the Son ] must reign, until he [ the Son ] shall have put all things under his [ the Son’s ]
feet.¨ Here the subjection refers to the period of Christ`s personal reign.
This is one of the seven New Testament references to Ps. 110:1 , 'Jehovah said unto
AdonSit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.¨ The English
word 'make¨ occurs 1,111 times in the Old Testament, as the rendering of 49 Hebrew
words. The one so rendered here is ( Sheeth ) and means to put, place, set , or
appoint , and is rendered make only 19 times out of 94. Its proper meaning is put or
appoint . (See Gen. 3:15 ; 4:25 ; 30:40 . Ps. 140:5 . Isa. 26:1 , &c.)
The word in the N. T. is ( titheemi ), and has the same meaning. It is rendered
make only 10 times out of 91, but in these cases it means to set or appoint ( Acts 20:28 .
Rom. 4:17 , &c.). In every case the verb is in the second aorist subjunctive, and should be
rendered ' shall have put .¨
Six of the seven references ( Matt. 22:44 . Mark 12:36 . Luke 20:42 . Acts 2:34 . Heb.
1:13 ; 10:13 ) refer to Christ`s session on the Father`s throne (not to His reign upon His
own, Rev. 3:21 ). And this session will continue until such time as the Father shall have
placed Christ`s enemies as a footstool for His feet. When that shall have been done, He
will rise up from His seat and come forth into the air for His people, to receive them to
Himself, and take them up to meet Him in the air so to be ever with the Lord. Then He
will come unto the earth with them, and sit upon the throne of His glory, and reign until
He shall have put all enemies under His feet. The other six passages refer to Christ`s
session . This one refers to His reign upon His own throne (not to His session on His
Father`s throne, Rev. 3:21 ). And this reign will continue until He (Christ) hath put all
His enemies under His feet.
Note, that in the six passages His enemies are placed 'as a footstool for His feet,¨ and
there is not a word about their being under His feet. In the one passage ( 1 Cor. 15:25 )
there is not a word about being placed 'as a footstool,¨ but the word 'under¨ His feet is
used. We must distinguish between placing and making , and Christ`s session and His
reign . Then all these passages teach the Pre-Millennial and Pre-Tribulation coming of
Christ for His people before His coming with them.
*
* See Things to Come for October, 1898.
1 Cor. 15:53 . 'For this corruptible [ body ] must put on incorruption, and this mortal [
body ] must put on immortality.¨
The noun 'body¨ must also be supplied in the next verse.
Eph. 1:8 . 'Wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence.¨
( hees ) which, i.e. , '[ the knowledge ] or grace , which he
hath made to abound in us in all wisdom and prudence.¨
Titus 1:15 . 'Unto the pure all things are pure.¨
The noun 'meats¨ ( i.e. , foods) must be supplied as in 1 Cor. 6:12 . 'All [ meats ]
indeed are clean to the clean.¨ The word 'clean¨ being used in its ceremonial or Levitical
sense, for none can be otherwise either 'pure¨ or 'clean.¨
Heb. 11:1 . 'Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service.¨
Here the word covenant is properly supplied in italics.
2 Pet. 3:1 . 'This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up
your pure minds by way of remembrance,¨ i.e. , 'In both which [ epistles ] I stir up,¨ etc.
1 John 5:16 . 'If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall
ask, and he shall give him life, etc.,¨ i.e. , '[ God ] shall give him life.¨ See also Matt.
5:11 , 15 ; Luke 6:38 , where men must be the word supplied.
2. The Omission of the OBJECT or ACCUSATIVE , etc., after the verb
2 Sam. 6:6 . 'And when they came to Nachon`s threshing-floor, Uzzah put forth his
hand to the ark of God.¨
Here the omission is supplied. The Ellipsis is used, and the accusative is omitted, in
order to call our attention to the act , rather than to the manner of it.
1 Chron. 16:7 . 'Then on that day, David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD ,
etc.¨
The Ellipsis might also be supplied thus: 'David delivered first [ the following words
] to thank the LORD , etc.¨
Job. 24:6 . 'They reap everyone his corn in the field.¨
This hardly makes sense with the context, which describes the wicked doings of those
who know not God.
The question is whether the word ( beleel ) translated 'his corn¨ is to be taken
as one word, or whether it is to be read as two words ( belee l ) which mean not
their own . In this case there is the Ellipsis of the accusative, which must be supplied. The
whole verse will then read,
'They reap [ their corn ] in a field not their own:
They glean the vintage of the wicked,¨
which carries on the thought of the passage without a break in the argument.
If we read it as one word, then we must supply the Ellipsis differently:'They reap
their corn in a field [ not their own ],¨ so that it comes, in sense, to the same thing.
Ps. 21:12 ( 13 ). 'When thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings.¨
Ps. 44:10 ( 11 ). 'They which hate us spoil for themselves.¨
The word spoil is ( shahsah ), and means to plunder . And it is clear that the
accusative, which is omitted, should be supplied:'They which hate us plunder [ our
goods ] for themselves.¨ The emphasis being, of course, on the act and the motive in the
verb 'plunder,¨ and 'for themselves,¨ rather than on the goods which they plunder.
In verse 12 ( 13 ), both the A.V. and R.V. have supplied the accusative, ' thy wealth
.¨
Ps. 57:2 ( 3 ). 'I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for
me.¨ Here the object is supplied in the words ' all things .¨ Other translators suggest '
His mercy , ¨ ' His promises , ¨ ' my desires .¨ Luther has ' my sorrow , ¨ the Hebrew
being ( gamar ), to bring to an end, complete , etc. The Ellipsis is left for emphasis.
Nothing is particularised, so that we may supply everything. The mention of any one
thing necessarily excludes others.
In Ps. 138:8 we have the same verb (though with a different construction) and the
same Ellipsis: but the former is translated 'the LORD will perfect,¨ and the latter is
supplied ' that which concerneth me¨: i.e. , will consummate all consummations for me.
Ps. 94:10 . 'He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct [ you among the
heathen ]?¨ This is evidently the completion of the sense. The A.V. fills up the Ellipsis in
the next sentence. This is of a different character, and comes under another division: 'He
that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? ¨
Ps. 103:9 . 'Neither will he keep his anger for ever.¨ So in Nah. 1:2 ; Jer. 3:5 , 12 .
Ps. 137:5 . 'If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning .¨
Here both versions thus supply the accusative. But surely more is implied in the
Ellipsis than mere skill of workmanship. Surely it means, 'If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand forget me .¨ Let it forget to work for me, to feed me and to defend me,
if I forget to pray for thee and to defend thee.
Prov. 24:24 . 'He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people
curse, nations shall abhor him;¨ i.e. , 'He that saith to the wicked [ king ].¨ This is clear
from the context.
Verses 2125 read literally. 'Fear the Lord, O my son, and the king. With men that
make a difference ( , shanah see Est. 1:7 ; 3:8 ), between a king and an ordinary
man thou shalt not mingle thyself. For their calamity (whose? evidently that of two
persons, viz., that of the king and also of the common man ) shall rise suddenly; and who
knoweth the ruin of them both? These matters also belong to the wise.¨ To make no
difference between man and man belongs to everyone alike, see Deut. 1:17 ; but to make
no difference between a man and a king is a matter that pertains only to the wise. ' It is
not good to have respect of persons in judgment. He that saith to the wicked [ king, as
well as common man ], Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor
him; but to them that rebuke him ( i.e., the wicked king ) shall be delight, and a good
blessing shall come upon them.¨
Here there is accuracy of translation and consistency of interpretation. There is only
one subject in verses 2125 .
*
Here it is the command not to flatter a wicked king; and
this explains the word 'both¨ in verse 22 , and the reference to 'people¨ and 'nations¨ in
verse 24 . Unless the Ellipsis is thus supplied, the meaning is not clear.
That which is a true admonition as to kingcraft, is also a solemn warning as to
priestcraft. The 'wise¨ makes no difference between a so-called priest and another man;
for he knows that all the people of God are made 'priests unto God¨ ( Rev. 1:6 ), and 'an
*
Each 'proverb¨ or paragraph in the book of Proverbs is occupied with only one subject,
even if it consists of several verses. This may sometimes throw light on a passage, e.g. ,
Prov. 26:35 , where verses 4 and 5 follow up the subject of verse 3, not changing the
subject but enforcing it; i.e. , 'For the horse a whip, for the ass a bridle, and for the fool`s
back a rod.¨ In other words you cannot reason with a horse or an ass, neither can you
reason with a fool. Then follow two very finely stated facts, not commands . If you
answer him according to his folly, he will think you are a fool like himself, and if you
answer him not according to his folly, he will think that he is wise like yourself! So that
we have a kind of hypothetical command:
Do this, and you will see that;
Do that, and you will see, &c.
holy priest-hood¨ ( 1 Pet. 2:5 ). Those who make a difference do so to their own loss, and
to the dishonour of Christ.
Isa. 53:12 . 'Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide
the spoil with the strong¨; i.e. , 'Therefore will I [Jehovah] divide (or apportion) to him a
great multitude [ for booty ], and the strong ones will he ( i.e. , Messiah) divide as spoil.¨
The structure shows that 53:12 corresponds with, and is to be explained by 52:15 .
The passage is concerning:
Jehovah’s Servant—the Sin Offering.
A 52:13 . His Presentation.
B 14 . His Affliction.
C 15 . His Reward.
A 53:13 . His Reception.
B 410 . His Affliction.
C 1012 . His Reward.
Hence the 'many nations¨ of 52:15 , answer to the 'great multitudes¨ of 53:12 ; and
'the kings¨ of 52:15 answer to 'the strong ones¨ of 53:12 . Thus the two passages explain
each other. The first line of verse 12 is what Jehovah divides to His Servant; and the
second line is what He divides as Victor for Himself and His host. Compare Ps. 110:25 ,
Rev. 19:1116 .
The word ( nazah ) in 52:15 , means to leap, leap out: of liquids, to spurt out as
blood: of people, to leap up from joy or astonishment. So the astonishment of verse 15
answers to that of verse 14 . Moreover the verb is in the Hiphil , and means to cause
astonishment.
*
Jer. 16:7 . 'Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning.¨ The word tear is
( paras ) to break, cleave, divide . So that the Ellipsis will be, 'Neither shall men
break [ bread ] for them in mourning¨ (as Ezek. 24:17 , Hos. 9:4 , etc., and A.V. marg.
and R.V. ).
See under Idiom .
Jer. 8:4 . 'Thus saith the LORD , Shall they fall, and not arise? Shall he turn away and
not return?¨
* See Things to Come , August, 1898.
This is unintelligible, and the R.V. is no clearer:'Shall one turn away and not turn
again?¨
The fact is that the Massorah
*
calls attention to this passage as one of several
examples where two connected words are wrongly divided. Here, the first letter of the
second of these two words should be the last letter of the preceding word. Then the sense
comes out most beautifully:
'Shall they return [ to the Lord ]
And He not return [ to them ]?¨
Agreeing with Mal. 3:7 , and with the context; and bringing out the parallel between
the two lines as well as exhibiting more clearly the figure of Polyptoton ( q.v. )
Matt. 11:18 .'John came neither eating nor drinking.¨
Clearly there must be an Ellipsis here; for John, being human, could not live without
food. The sense is clear in the Hebrew idiom, which requires the Ellipsis to be thus
supplied in the English:
'John came neither eating [ with others ] nor drinking [ strong drink ].¨ See Luke
1:15 . Or, observing the force of the Greek negative: 'John came [ declining invitations ]
to eat and drink.¨
Luke 9:52 .'And sent messengers before his face; and they went, and entered into a
village of the Samaritans, to make ready . . for him,¨ i.e. , to prepare reception for him.
John 15:6 .'If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered;
and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.¨
Here the accusative 'them¨ is not repeated.
But the meaning of the verse is obscured, or rather a new meaning is read into it by
inconsistency of rendering. W ( ean mee ) translated
'except¨ twice in verse 4 , and here in verse 6 'if . . not¨? It is an expression that occurs
fifty-two times, and more than thirty of these are rendered 'except.¨
f
Here it should be
rendered 'Except anyone abide in me.¨ In the preceding verses the Lord had been
* See note on this passage in Ginsburg`s Edition of the Hebrew Bible.
q.v. Which see.
f See Matt. 5:20 ; 12:29 ; 18:3 ; 26:42. Mark 3:27 ; 7:3 , 4 . John 3:2 , 3 , 5 , 27 ; 4:48 ;
6:44 , 53 , 65 ; 12:24 ; 15:4 (twice); 20:25 . Acts 8:31 ; 15:1 ; 27:31 . Rom. 10:15 . 1 Cor.
14:6 , 7 , 9 ; 15:36 . 2 Thess. 2:3 . 2 Tim. 2:5 . Rev. 2:5 , 22 . ( ei mee ), if not , is
also rendered 'except¨ Matt. 19:9 ; 24:22 . Mark 13:20 . John 19:11 . Rom. 7:7 ; 9:29 . 2
Cor. 12:13 .
speaking of His disciples 'you¨ and 'ye.¨ Here in verse 6 He makes a general proposition
concerning anyone. Not, if anyone who is already in Him does not continue in Him, for
He is not speaking of a real branch; but except anyone is abiding in Him he is cast forth
'AS a branch.¨
Likewise, in verse 2 , the verb is ( air ) to lift up ,
*
raise up . 'Every branch
in me that beareth not fruit he lifteth up,¨ i.e. , He raises it from the ground where it can
bear no fruit, and tends it, that it may bring forth fruit, 'and every branch that beareth
fruit, he pruneth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.¨
Thus there are two conditions spoken oftwo kinds of branches: one that bears no
fruit, and one that does. The former He raises up that it may bear fruit, and the latter He
prunes that it may bear more.
Acts 9:34 . 'Arise, and make thy bed.¨
Here both versions translate the figure. The Greek reads, 'Arise, and spread for
thyself,¨ i.e. , spread [ a bed ] for thyself: in other words, 'make thy bed.¨
Acts 10:10 . 'But while they made ready, he fell into a trance,¨ i.e. , while they made
ready [ the food ].
Rom. 15:28 . 'When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this
fruit, I will come by you into Spain¨: i.e. , 'When, therefore, I have performed this
business .¨
1 Cor. 3:1 . 'And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual [ men ], but as
unto carnal [ men ].¨ (See under 1 Cor. 2:2 ).
1 Cor. 7:17 . 'But as God hath distributed to every man.¨
This is literally:'Only as God hath apportioned [ the gift ] to each.¨
1 Cor. 10:24 . 'Let no man seek his own [ advantage only ], but every man that of his
neighbour [ also ].¨
'Wealth,¨ in the A.V. is the old English word for well-being generally. As we pray in
the Litany, 'In all time of our wealth¨; and in the expression, 'Commonwealth,¨ i.e. ,
common weal. Compare verse 33 , where the word ' profit ¨ is used. The R.V. supplies '
good .¨
2 Cor. 5:16 . 'Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh ( ,
kata sarka , according to flesh, i.e. , according to natural standing): yea, though we have
known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth know we him [ thus ] no more.¨
* As in Luke 17:13 . John 11:41 . Acts 4:24 . Rev. 10:5 .
Our standing is now a spiritual one, 'in Christ¨ risen from the dead; a standing on
resurrection ground, as the members of the Mystical or Spiritual Body of Christ.
2 Cor. 5:20 . 'Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech
you by us: we pray you in Christ`s stead, be ye reconciled to God.¨
Here the word ' you ¨ is incorrectly supplied. Paul was not beseeching the saints in
Corinth to be reconciled to God. They were reconciled as verse 18 declares, 'Who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.¨ Then in verse 19 he goes on to speak of 'men¨;
and in verse 20 he says that he beseeches them , as though God did beseech them by us;
we pray them in Christ`s stead, and say: 'Be ye reconciled to God.¨ This was the tenor
of his Gospel to the unconverted.
2 Cor. 11:20 . 'If a man take [ your goods ].¨
Phil. 3:13 . 'Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended [ the prize (from verse
14 )].¨
1 Thess. 3:1 . 'When we could no longer forbear.¨ Here ( steg ) means to hold
out, to bear, to endure , and must have the accusative supplied:'Wherefore, when we
could no longer bear [ our anxiety ], etc.¨ The same Ellipsis occurs in verse 5 , where it
must be similarly supplied.
2 Thess. 2:6 , 7 . 'And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his
time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let ,
until he be taken out of the way.¨
Here, there is an Ellipsis . But the A.V. treats it as though it were the verb that is
omitted, and repeats the verb ' will let .¨ The R.V. avoids this, by translating it thus:
'only there is one that restraineth now, until, etc.¨
Both the A.V. and R.V. fail to see that it is the Ellipsis of the accusative after the verb
in both verses. The verb is ( katech ), which is rendered 'withhold¨ in verse 6
and ' let ¨ in verse 7 (and in R.V. ' restrain ¨ in both verses). But this verb, being
transitive, must have an object or accusative case after it; and, as it is omitted by Ellipsis ,
it has therefore to be supplied.
The verb ( katech ) means to have and hold fast . The preposition (
kata ), in composition, does not necessarily preserve its meaning of down , to hold down;
but it may be intensive , and mean to hold firmly, to hold fast, to hold in secure
possession . This is proved by its usage; which clearly shows that restraining or
withholding is no necessary part of its meaning. It occurs nineteen times, and is nowhere
else so rendered. On the other hand there are four or five other words which might have
been better used had 'restrain¨ been the thought in this passage.
Indeed its true meaning is fixed by its use in these epistles. In 1 Thess. 5:21 we read
'hold fast that which is good,¨ not restrain it or 'withhold¨ that which is good! But the
idea is of keeping and retaining and holding on fast to that which is proved to be good. So
it is in all the passages where the word occurs:
Matt. 21:38 . Let us seize on his inheritance.
Luke 4:42 . And stayed him, that he should not depart.
Luke 8:15 . Having heard the word, keep it.
Luke 14:9 . Thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
John 5:4 . Of whatsoever disease he had ( i.e. , was held).
Acts 27:40 . And made toward shore ( i.e. , they held their course, or kept going
for the shore).
Rom. 1:18 . Who hold the truth in unrighteousness.
Rom. 7:6 . Being dead to that wherein we were held (margin and R.V. ).
1 Cor. 7:30 . As though they possessed not.
1 Cor. 11:2 . And keep the ordinances.
1 Cor. 15:2 . If ye keep in memory what I preached.
2 Cor. 6:10 . And yet possessing all things.
1 Thess. 5:21 . Hold fast that which is good.
Philem. 13 . Whom I would have retained with me.
Heb. 3:6 . If we hold fast the confidence.
Heb. 3:14 . If we hold the beginning
Heb. 10:23 . Let us hold fast the profession.
This fixes for us the meaning of the verb . But WHAT is it that thus holds fast
'the man of sin¨? and WHO is it that holds fast something which is not mentioned, and
which has therefore to be supplied? For, in verse 6 , that which holds fast is neuter,
( to katechon ( ho katech n ):so
that in verse 6 it is some thing (neuter) which holds the man of sin fast, while in verse 7
some one is holding fast to something.
We submit that in verse 6 , that something is ( to phrear ) the pit ( Rev. 9:1
, 2 and 11:7 ) out of which he ascends, and in which he is now kept in sure possession
until the season arrive when he is to be openly revealed: meanwhile, his secret counsels
and plans are already working, preparing the way for his revelation.
The whole subject of the context is the revelation of two person-ages (not of one),
viz., 'the man of sin¨ (verse 3 ) and 'the lawless one¨ (verse 8 ). These correspond with
the two beasts of Rev. 13
This is clear from the structure of the first twelve verses of this chapter:
*
2 Thess. 2:112 .
A 13 . Exhortation not to be believing what the apostle did not say.
B 3 , 4 . Reason. 'For, etc.¨
A 5 , 6 . Exhortation to believe what the apostle did say.
B 712 . Reason. 'For, etc.¨
Or more fully, thus:
A 13 . Exhortation (negative).
B a 3 . The Apostasy (open).
b 3 . The Revelation of the 'Man of Sin.¨ (The Beast from the Sea ,
Rev. 13:110 ).
c 4 . The character of his acts. See Rev. 13:68 .
A 56 . Exhortation (positive).
B a 7 . Lawlessness (secret working).
b 8 . The Revelation of the Lawless one. (The Beast from the Earth ,
Rev. 13:1118 ).
c 912 . The character of his acts. See Rev. 13:1315 .
Thus the open working Of the apostasy and the secret working of the counsels of the
Lawless one are set in contrast. We must note that the word 'mystery¨ means a secret, a
secret plan or purpose, secret counsel .
*
* See The Structure of the Two Epistles to the Thessalonians by the same author and
publisher.
Thus we have here two subjects: (1) 'The Man of Sin¨ (the beast from the sea, Rev.
13:110 ), and the open apostasy which precedes and marks his revelation; (2) 'The
Lawless one¨ (the beast from the earth, Rev. 13:1118 ), and the working of his secret
counsels which precedes his revelation, and the ejection of the Devil from the heavens
which brings it about.
( ek mesou
geneetai ) be taken out of the way , as meaning, 'arise out of the midst.¨ But this
translates an idiomatic expression literally; which cannot be done without introducing
is an idiom,
f
for being gone away , or being absent or away .
This is clear from the other places where the idiomatic expression occurs.
|
Thus the lawless one is, at present, being held fast in the pit (while his secret counsels
are at work); and the Devil is holding On to his position in the heavenlies ( Eph. 2:2 ;
6:12 ). But presently there will be 'war in Heaven¨ ( Rev. 12 ), and Satan will be cast out
into the earth. Then in Rev. 13:1 , we read, 'and he (Satan) stood upon the sand of the
sea¨ ( R.V. ) Then it is that he will call up this lawless one, whom John immediately sees
rising up out of the sea to run his brief career, and be destroyed by the glory of the Lord`s
appearing.
The complete rendering therefore of these two verses ( 1 Thess. 2:67 ), will be as
follows:'And now ye know what holds him [ the lawless one ] fast, to the end that he
* See The Mystery , by the same author and publisher.
f See below under the figure Idioma .
|
in Matt. 13:49 , the wicked are severed from among the just¨ ( i.e. , taken away). In Acts
17:33 , 'Paul departed from among them¨ ( i.e. , went away). In 23:10 , he was taken 'by
force from among them¨ ( i.e. , taken out of the way). 1 Cor. 5:2 is very clear, where he
complains that they had not mourned that 'he that hath done this thing might be taken
away from among you.¨ In 2 Cor. 6:17 , we are commanded, 'Wherefore come out from
among them and be ye separate.¨ In Col. 2:14 we read of the handwriting of ordinances
which was against us; Christ 'took it out of the way .¨ We have the same in the
Septuagint in Isa. 52:11 : 'Depart ye.. go ye out of the midst of her,¨ and Isa. 57:1 : 'the
righteous is taken away from the evil to come.¨
The same usage is seen in Classical writersPlutarch ( Timol. p. 288, 3): 'He
determined to live by himself, having got himself out of the way,” i.e. , from the public;
Herodotus (3, 83; and 8, 22): The speaker exhorts some to 'be on our side; but, if this is
impossible, then sit down out of the way,” i.e. , leave the coast clear as we should say,
keep neutral and stand aside. The same idiom is seen in LatinTerence ( Phorm. v. 8,
30): 'She is dead, she is gone from among us¨ ( e medio abiit ) . The opposite expression
shows the same thing. In Xenophon ( Cyr. 5, 2, 26), one asks, 'What stands in the way of
).
may be revealed in his own appointed season. For the secret counsel of lawlessness doth
already work; only, there is one [ Satan ] who at present holds fast [ to his possessions in
the heavenlies ], until he be cast out [ into the earth , Rev. 12:912 ; and ' stand upon the
sand of the sea , ¨ Rev. 13:1 , R.V. ], and then shall be revealed that lawless one whom
the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of
his coming¨ ( Isa. 11:4 ).
Jas. 5:3 . 'Ye have heaped treasure together for the, last days.¨ The R.V. is tame in
comparison with this, 'Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days.¨ (
theesaurizo ) means simply to treasure up . In Rom. 2:5 , we have the expression
'treasurest up wrath.¨ So here, there is the Ellipsis of what is treasured up. We may
supply 'wrath¨ here. 'Ye have treasured up [ wrath ] for the last days,¨ or in last (or
final) days, i.e. , days of extremity.
1 Pet. 2:23 . 'But committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.¨
Here the omitted accusative is supplied, but it is a question whether it ought to be '
himself ,¨ or rather as in the margin both of A.V. and R.V. ' his cause .¨
3. The omission of the PRONOUN
Where there can be no doubt to whom or to what the noun refers, the pronoun is
frequently omitted in the Greek, and in most cases is supplied in italic type in the A.V.
The omission of the pronoun makes it more emphatic, attention being called more
prominently to it.
Matt. 19:13 . 'That He should put the hands [ of Him ] upon them,¨ i.e., His hands.
Matt. 21:7 . 'And put on them the clothes [ of them ]¨ i.e. , their garments, 'and he sat
upon them.¨ This is the reading of the critical editions.
Mark 5:23 . 'Come and lay the hands [ of thee ] upon her¨ i.e., thy hands. Where the
A.V. does not even put thy in italics. Compare Matt. 9:18 , where the pronoun ( , sou
) thy is used.
Mark 6:5 . 'And he laid the hands [ of him ] upon a few sick folk,¨ i.e., his hands. So
also 8:25 , 16:18 ; Acts 9:17 .
Luke 24:40 . 'And when He had thus spoken, He showed them the hands and the feet
[ of Him ], i.e. , as in A.V. , ' his hands and his feet.¨
John 11:41 . 'And Jesus lifted up the eyes [of Him],¨ i.e., his eyes.
Acts 13:3 . 'And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid the hands [ of them ] on
them,¨ i.e., their hands on them.
Acts 19:6 . 'And when Paul had laid the hands [ of him ] upon them,¨ i.e., his hands.
Eph. 3:17 , 18 . 'That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may know what is the
breadth [ of it ], and length [ of it ], and the depth [ of it ], and the height [ of it ],¨ i.e. , of
love. 'That ye may know what is [ its ] breadth, and length, and depth, and height, etc.¨
Heb. 4:15 . 'But was in all points tempted. according to the likeness [ of us ] apart
from sin,¨ i.e. , according to [ our ] likeness.
Rom. 6:3 , 4 . May be perhaps best explained by this figure. 'Know ye not that so
many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus, unto his death we were baptized?
Therefore we were buried together with him by the baptism [ of him ] ( i.e. , by his
baptism) unto death.¨ For He had 'a cup¨ to drink of (His death ), and 'a baptism to be
baptized with¨ (His burial ), and when He died and was buried, His people died and were
buried with Him, and, as the next verse goes on to say, rose again with Him.
So the passage reads: 'Therefore we were buried with him by his baptism-unto-death
[ i.e. , his burial], in order that just as Christ was raised from among the dead by the glory
of the Father, so we also, in newness of life should walk. For if we have become
identified in the likeness of his death, certainly in that of his resurrection also we shall be:
knowing this, that our old man was crucified together with [ him ] in order that the body
of sin may be annulled, that we should no longer be in servitude to sin. For he that hath
died hath been righteously acquitted from the sin [ of him ], i.e., his sin. Now if we died
together with Christ, we believe that we shall live also together with him.¨
The whole argument lies in this that we are reckoned as having died with Him, and as
having been buried with Him in His burial (or baptism-unto-death). (See Matt. 20:23 ;
Mark 10:38 , 39 ; Luke 12:50 ). Hence all such are free from the dominion and
condemnation of sin, and stand in the newness of resurrection life. This is 'the gospel of
the glory¨ ( 2 Cor. 4:4 ), for it was by the glory of the Father that Christ was raised, and it
is glorious news indeed which tells us that all who are in Christ are 'complete in Him¨ (
Col. 2:10 ), 'accepted in the beloved¨ ( Eph. 1:6 ), 'perfect in Christ Jesus¨ ( Col. 1:28 ).
With this agrees Col. 2:1012 . 'And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all
en h ) also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ; buried with him in the baptism [ of him ] i.e. , in his baptism-unto-
rendered above) ye were raised
together also through the faith of the operation of God, who raised him from among the
dead,¨ etc.
Here, again, the whole argument turns on the fact that the 'circumcision¨ and the
'baptism¨ spoken of are both 'made without hands,¨ and both are fulfilled in Christ. The
whole context of these two passages must be studied in order to see the one point and the
great truth which is revealed: viz., that in His death we are circumcised and cut off,
'crucified with Him¨ ( Rom. 6:6 ): in His burial (or baptism-unto-death) we are baptized
( Rom. 6:4 ; Col. 2:12 ): and in His resurrection we now have our true standing before
God. We have all in Christ. Hence, our completeness and perfection in Him is such that
nothing can be added to it. All who are baptized by Him with the Holy Spirit are
identified with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. Hence, those who are being
baptized are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not ( 1 Cor. 15:29 , see below), for
they do not rise if Christ be not raised. But, if Christ be raised, then we are raised in Him;
and 'Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more . for in that he died, he died unto
sin once for all; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise ye also reckon
yourselves dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, IN CHRIST JESUS ¨ ( Rom. 6:811
).
Rom. 2:18 . Thou 'makest thy boast of God, and knowest the will [ of him ],¨ i.e., his
will: the will of God.
1 Tim. 6:1 . 'That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.¨ The R.V.
reads 'that the name of God and the doctrine be not blasphemed,¨ but it is better 'the
doctrine [ of him ],¨ i.e. , his doctrine, as in the A.V.
4. The Omission of OTHER CONNECTED WORDS
1 Kings 3:22 . 'Thus they spake before the king.¨ It is not to be supposed that two
women under these exciting circum-stances would confine themselves to the few concise
words of verse 22 ! Moreover, there is no 'thus¨ in the Hebrew. Literally it reads'and
they talked before the king,¨ i.e. , 'they talked [ very much ] or kept talking before the
king.¨
2 Kings 6:25 . 'An ass`s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth
part of a cab of dove`s dung for five pieces of silver.¨ Here it is more correct to supply
(with the R.V. margin) ' shekels ¨ instead of ' pieces , ¨ and translate 'was at eighty
shekels of silver.¨
2 Kings 25:3 . 'And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed.¨
The Hebrew reads, 'and on the ninth month.¨ But the Ellipsis is correctly supplied
from Jer. 52:6 .
Ps. 119:56 . 'This I had, because I kept thy precepts;¨ i.e. , this [ consolation ] I had.
Luther supplies the word ' treasure .¨
Jer. 51:31 . 'One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another,
to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end.¨
The R.V. translates ' on every quarter”! Another version renders it ' to its utmost end
.¨ Another ' at the extremity .¨ Thus it is clear that there is an Ellipsis , and much
confusion in supplying it.
The Hebrew is 'from the end¨: or with the Ellipsis supplied 'from [ each ] end.¨ So
in chap. 50:26 ( A.V. and R.V. ), 'come against her from the utmost border.¨ (Margin:
'Hebrew, from the end ¨), i.e. , as we have suggested, 'from [ each ] end.¨
And so the prophecy was exactly fulfilled. The Babylonians, after their first
discomfiture by Cyrus in the field, retired to the city . and, as Herodotus says,
'remained in their holds.¨
*
The forces of Cyrus, having turned the waters of the Euphrates, entered the city by
the bed of the river at each end; and the messengers who entered at the end where the
waters quitted the city ran to meet those who had come in where the waters entered the
city; so that they met one another. Herodotus expressly describes this in his history (book
i. §191). Those who were at the extremities were at once slain, while those in the centre
were feasting in utter ignorance of what was going on. See Daniel 5:3 , 4 , 23 , 30 . Thus
the correct supply of the Ellipsis is furnished and established by the exact fulfilment of
the prophecy, proving the wonderful accuracy of the Divine Word.
Ezek. 13:18 . 'Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes.¨
This may be translated literally, 'Woe to those who sew together coverings upon all
joints of [ the people of ] my hands,¨ i.e., my people . The context supplies the Ellipsis ,
for the subject is the deception of God`s people by the false prophets; and the covering
and veiling of verse 18 corresponds to the daubing and coating of verse 14 , etc., i.e. , the
making things easy for the people so that they should not attend to God`s word.
The R.V. reads, 'that sew pillows upon all elbows,¨ margin, 'Heb. joints of the hands
.¨ A.V. margin, 'elbows.¨
Matt. 19:17 . 'Keep the commandments,¨ i.e., of God .
Mark 6:14–16 . The parenthesis in verse 14 must be extended to the end of verse 15 .
What Herod said is stated in verse 16 . The rumour of what others said is stated in the
parenthesis:'And king Herod heard [ of these mighty works ]; (for his name was spread
abroad, and [ one ]
f
said that John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore
mighty works do show forth themselves in him. Others said, It is Elias; and others said, It
is a prophet, or as one of the prophets). But when Herod heard
*
thereof ,
f
he said, It is
John whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.¨
* . HEROD. Hist.
lib. i. §190. See also XENOPHON , Cyrop. lib. vii. Compare Jer. 51:30 , 'The mighty men
of Babylon have forborne to fight, they have remained in their holds.¨
( elegen ), one said . The reading put by Tr. and R.V. in the
margin, and by Lachmann, and Westco ( elegon ) some
said .
* Repeated from verse 14 .
Luke 14:18 . 'They all with one consent began to make excuse.¨
( apo mias ) with one [ mind ], or with one [ declining ]: i.e. , they all alike
began to decline the invitation.
John 3:13 . 'No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of Man which is in heaven.¨ ( ho
n ) the article, and the present participle of the verb 'to be¨literally, the one being: i.e.
, who was being, or simply who was ) in the
bosom of the Father.¨ John 9:25 , 'Whereas I was blind¨ ( ). John 19:38 ,
'being a disciple,¨ i.e. , who was a disciple. Luke 24:44 , 'I spake whilst I was yet with
, eti n ). 2 Cor. 8:9 , 'Though he was rich¨ ( , plousios n ).
Hence our verse reads, 'Even the Son of Man who was in heaven.¨ This agrees with
John 6:62 , where we have the words, 'What and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend
up where he was before?¨
The fact taught us by this is, that the human body of the Lord Jesus cannot be in more
than one place at the same time. This fact cuts at the roots of all errors that are based on
any presence of Christ on earth during this present dispensation. The presence of the
Holy Spirit is the witness to the absence of Christ. There can be no presence of Christ
now except by the Holy Spirit. He will be present again bodily only at His personal return
from Heaven. Now He is seated at the right hand of God, 'henceforth expecting,¨ until
the moment arrives for God to place His enemies as a footstool for His feet, when He
shall rise up to receive His people to Himself and come with and reign until He shall have
put all enemies under His feet. (See above, page 7 ).
Any presence, therefore, of Christ in the Lord`s Supper, other than by His Spirit in
our hearts,
|
is a denial of His real human nature, and of His return from Heaven: and this
is an error which affects both the first and second Advents. The Lord`s Supper, therefore,
is the witness of His real absence; for it is instituted only 'till He come.¨ And not until
that glorious day will there be any 'real presence¨ on earth. And then it will be a bodily
presence, for it is 'on the Mount of Olives,¨ that His feet will rest, and 'on Mount Zion¨
that He shall reign.
Acts 10:36 . 'The word which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by
Jesus Christ.¨
The Ellipsis here is caused by a Hebraism, as in Hag. 2:5 . ' According to the word
that I covenanted with you,¨ etc. So this will read, '[ According to ] the word which God
sent, etc.¨
f Or when Herod heard these various opinions .
| See the Rubrick at the end of the Communion Service of the Church of England.
Or it may be taken as parallel to Ps. 107:20 . 'He sent his word, and healed them.¨ So
Isa. 9:8 . God 'sent¨ when His Son came, through whom God proclaimed the Gospel of
peace. Hence '[ This is ] the word which God sent.¨
Acts 18:22 . 'And when he had landed at Cæsarea, and gone up . and saluted the
Church, he went down to Antioch,¨ i.e. , 'Gone up [ to Jerusalem ].¨ As is clear from
verse 21 , as well as from the circumstances of the case.
Rom. 2:27 . 'And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law,
judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost trangress the law?¨
Here we have, first, to note the figure of Hendiadys ( q.v. ) 'letter and circumcision¨
and translate it literal circumcision . And next we have to preserve the emphasis marked
by the order of the words, which we can well do if we correctly supply the Ellipsis:
'And shall not uncircumcision which by nature fulfilleth the law, condemn thee [
though thou art a Jew ], who, through the literal circumcision, art a trangressor of the
law?¨
Rom. 11:11 . 'I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall [ for ever ]? God
forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke
them to jealousy.¨ The fall mentioned here must be interpreted by verse 1 'cast away,¨
and verse 25 'until,¨ and by the condition of verse 23 . Is their fall the object or end of
their stumbling? See John 11:4 .
Rom. 12:19 . 'Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto
wrath.¨ This does not mean 'yield to the wrath of your enemy,¨ but 'give place to the
wrath
*
[ of God ], for (the reason is given) it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay,
saith the Lord.¨
Rom. 14:2 . 'For one believeth that he may eat all things; another, who is weak [ in the
faith ], eateth herbs [ only ].¨
Rom. 14:5 . 'One man esteemeth one day above another,¨ i.e. , 'one man indeed (
), esteemeth one day [ more holy ] than another; but (
alike ].¨
Rom. 14:20 . 'All things indeed are pure,¨ i.e. , 'all [ meats ] indeed [ are ] clean; but [
it is ] evil to the man who eateth with offence [ to his weak brother ].¨ 'Clean¨ here
means ceremonially clean, and hence, allowed to be eaten.
Rom. 14:23 . 'And he that doubteth is damned (or condemned) if he eat,¨ i.e. , 'and he
that holdeth a difference [ between meats ] is condemned if he eat, because [ he eateth ]
) faith; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.¨
* tee orgee ).
1 Cor. 7:6 . 'But I speak this [ which I have said ] by permission and not
commandment.¨
1 Cor. 9:9 , 10 . 'Doth God take care for oxen [ only ]? Or saith he it altogether for our
sakes?¨
1 Cor. 12:6 . The expression 'all in all¨ is elliptical: and the sense must be completed
according to the nature of the subject and the context, both here, and in the other passages
where it occurs.
Here, 'it is the same God, which worketh all [ these gifts ] in all [ the members of
Christ’s body ]:¨ what these gifts are, and who these members are, is fully explained in
the immediate context. See verses 431 .
1 Cor. 15:28 . 'Then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things
under him, that God may be all in all.¨ The word occurs six times in the 27th and
28th verses and is in each case translated correctly 'all things¨ except in this last
occurrence. We have no liberty to change the translation here. It must be 'all things,¨ and
to complete the sense we must render it 'that God may be [ over ] all things, in all [
places ]; i.e. , over all beings in all parts of the universe.
Eph. 1:23 . 'The church, which is His body, the fulness
*
of him that filleth all in all.¨
Here, we must supply:'that filleth all [ the members of His body ] with all [ spiritual
gifts and graces ].¨ Compare chap. 4:1013 .
Col. 3:11 . 'Christ is all, and in all.¨ Here the Greek is slightly different from the other
occurrences, but it is still elliptical; and the sense must be completed thus:In the new
creation 'there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is [ created in ] all [ who believe ] and in all [ places
of the world ],¨ i.e. , no man is excluded on account of earthly considerations of condition
or location from the blessings and benefits of the new creation. See Gal. 3:28 , where the
same truth is expressed in different words.
1 Cor. 14:27 . 'If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most
three [ sentences , or perhaps, persons ] and that by course ( i.e., separately ); and let one
interpret.¨
2 Cor. 1:6 . 'And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation,
which is effectual [ in you ] in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer,
etc.¨
* The termination of the word denotes the result or product of the verb to fill,
i.e. , of the act of the verb. Hence this fulness means a filling up in exchange for
emptiness. His members fill up the Body of Christ, and He fills up the members with all
spiritual gifts and graces.
2 Cor. 5:5 . 'Now he that hath wrought us for the self same [ desire ], is God.¨
Gal. 5:10 . 'I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise
minded.¨
The Greek reads 'that you will think nothing differently [ from me ].¨
Phil. 1:18 . 'What then [ does it matter ]? at any rate, in every way, whether in
pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.¨
1 Thess. 3:7 . 'Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction
and distress by your faith,¨ i.e. , 'by [ the news received of ] your faith.¨
1 Thess. 4:1 . 'As ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so
ye would abound more and more [ therein ].¨ See also verse 10 .
Heb. 13:25 . 'Grace be with you all,¨ i.e. , 'The grace [ of God be ] with you all.¨
1 John 5:15 . 'And if we know that he hear us [ concerning ] whatsoever we ask, we
know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.¨
1 John 5:19 . 'The whole world lieth in wickedness:¨ R.V. , 'in the wicked one.¨ But
this is not English. The Ellipsis must be supplied thus:'The whole World lieth in [ the
power of ] the wicked one.¨
II. The Omission of Verbs and Participles
A verb is a word which signifies to be, to do , or to suffer , and expresses the action, the
suffering, or the being, or the doing.
When therefore the verb is omitted, it throws the emphasis on the thing that is done
rather than on the doing of it.
On the other hand, when the noun is omitted, our thought is directed to the action of
the verb, and is centred on that rather than on the object or the subject.
Bearing this in mind, we proceed to consider a few examples:
1. When the VERB FINITE is wanting
Gen. 25:28 . 'And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison.¨ Or it may be
that there is no Ellipsis , and it may mean 'because hunting was in his [ Esau’s ] mouth,¨
i.e. , on his tongue.
The A.V. has given a very free translation. But here again, the correct supply of the
words omitted enables us to retain a literal rendering of the words that are given:
'because the food taken by him in hunting [ was sweet , or was pleasant ] in his mouth.¨
Num. 16:28 . 'And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to
do all these works; for not of my own mind.` ¨
Here we may render it, 'for not of mine own heart [ have I said these things ]. See
verse 24 .
1 Sam. 19:3 . 'I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell
thee.¨
The R.V. translates 'and if I see aught.¨ But the Hebrew with the Ellipsis supplied, is:
'and will see what [ he replies ], and will tell thee.¨
2 Sam. 4:10 . 'When one told me, saying, behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have
brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I
would have given him a reward for his tidings.¨
Here the A.V. has supplied the verb ' thought ,¨ but perhaps the verb ' had come ¨ is
better, i.e. , 'who [ had come ] that I should give him a reward for his tidings.¨
The R.V. translates, 'which was the reward I gave him for his tidings.¨
2 Sam. 18:12 . 'Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.¨
2 Sam. 23:17 . This is a case in which the Ellipsis is wrongly supplied in the A.V.
'And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD , that I should do this: is not this the blood of
the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?¨
The R.V. rightly supplies from 1 Chron. 11:19 , 'Be it far from me, O LORD , that I
should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men, etc.¨
1 Kings 11:25 . 'And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the
mischief that Hadad did , ¨ i.e. , that Hadad wrought or brought upon him .
1 Kings 14:6 . 'I am sent to thee with heavy tidings .¨ The Hebrew is, 'I am sent to
thee hard.¨
The Ellipsis may thus be supplied: 'I am sent to thee [ to tell thee, or to bring thee , or
to prophesy to thee ] hard [ things ]. See verse 5 .
1 Kings 22:36 . 'And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going
down of the sun, saying, 'Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.¨
Here the verb return is to be supplied. ' Let every man return to his city, etc.,¨ or '[
Return ] every man to his city, etc.¨
2 Kings 25:24 . The word ' fled ¨ is not in the Hebrew. The Ellipsis is thus supplied in
the A.V. and R.V. correctly in italics.
Ezra 10:14 . 'Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which
have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders
of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be
turned away.¨
The Hebrew of the last clause reads, 'Until ( ) the fierce wrath of our God be
turned back from us, until ( ) this matter [ be carried out ].¨
This filling up of the Ellipsis enables us to take the other words in the verse literally.
The non-observance of the figure leads the A.V. to give two different meanings (viz.,
'until¨ and 'for¨) to the word until , which is used twice in the same passage.
The R.V. reads, 'Until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter
be dispatched,¨ and gives an alternative in the margin for the last clause ' as touching
this matter .¨
Ezra 10:19 . 'And being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.¨
Here the Ellipsis of the verb is properly supplied.
Job. 3:21 . 'Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid
treasures [ but find it not ].¨
The A.V. supplies the first verb, but not the second.
Job 4:6 . ' Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy
ways?¨
The R.V. renders it:'Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, and thy hope the
integrity of thy ways?¨
These two lines are arranged as an introversion in the Hebrew:
Is not thy fear
thy confidence?
And thy hope
the integrity of thy ways?
Or by transposing the words they may be exhibited as an alternation:
Is not thy fear thy confidence?
And the integrity of thy ways, thy hope?
It should be noted that the A.V. of 1611 originally read, ' Is not this thy feare thy
confidence; the uprightness of thy wayes and thy hope?¨ The change first appears in the
Cambridge edition of 1638. But by whom this and many similar unauthorised changes
have been made in the text of the A.V. of 1611, is not known, and can only be
conjectured!
*
Job 39:13 seems to have caused much trouble to the translators. The A.V. reads, '
Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?¨
The R.V. and other versions which ignore the Ellipsis (which the A.V. correctly supplies)
have to give a very unnatural translation, and miss the challenge which is connected with
all the other wonders of God`s works in these chapters.
The scanty featherless wing of the ostrich ( renana , not peacock) is contrasted
with the warm full-feathered wing of the stork ( chaseedah , not ostrich), and man
is challenged, ' Didst thou give either the one or the other?¨
Ps. 4:2 . 'O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame?¨
Ps. 22:16 . 'They pierced my hands and my feet.¨ Through not seeing the Ellipsis of
the verb in this verse, the word in the Hebrew text ( k ree ), as a lion , has been
translated as though it were a verb ( k roo ) they pierced .
f
But we have no
authority thus to ignore the printed text. On the contrary, verse 16 corresponds exactly
with verse 12 . In verse 12 we have two animals, 'bulls¨ and 'a lion¨ (the first plural, and
the second singular). So also we have in verse 16 , two animals, 'dogs¨ and 'a lion.¨ If,
however, we take k ree as a noun, there is an Ellipsis of the verb, which we may well
supply from Isa. 38:13 , and then we may translate the rest literally: 'As a lion [ they will
break up ] my hands and my feet.¨
*
The structure of the passage proves that this is the case. Verses 1217 form the Centre
of this part of the Psalm:
* See Appendix A .
f In the first case the Kaph is rendered 'as¨ and is prefixed to ( aree ) a lion ; in
the latter case it forms part of the verb ( ).
* See Ginsburg`s Introduction to the Massoretico-Critical Hebrew Bible , p. 969.
A 1213 . They. Beasts surrounding: 'bulls¨ ( pl. ), and 'a lion¨ ( sing. ).
B 1415 . I. The consequence. 'I am poured out like water.¨
A 16 . They. Beasts surrounding: 'dogs¨ ( pl. ), and 'a lion¨ ( sing. ).
B 17 . I. The consequence. 'I may tell all my bones.¨
Ps. 25:15 . 'Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord,¨ i.e. , 'mine eyes are ever lifted up
or looking toward the Lord.¨ See Ps. 121:1 . The verb is omitted, that We may not think
of the act of looking, but at the object to which we look.
Ps. 120:7 . 'I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.¨ There are no verbs in
the Hebrew, which is:'I peace; but when I speak, they for war.¨ The verbs to be
supplied are doubtless, 'I [ love ] peace; but when I speak they [ cry out ] for war,¨ or
'they break forth into war.¨
Ecc. 8:2 . 'I counsel thee keep the king`s commandment.¨
Isa. 60:7 . 'For your shame ye shall have double.¨ Here the Ellipsis is properly
supplied. (See this passage under other Figures).
Isa. 66:6 . 'A voice of noise (tumult, R.V. ) from the city, a voice from the temple, a
voice of the LORD that rendereth recompense to his enemies¨: i.e. , a voice of tumult is
heard from the city, a voice sounds forth from the temple, etc.
Jer. 18:14 . 'Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the
field?¨
There is no sense whatever in this rendering, and the R.V. is but tittle better: 'Shall
the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field?¨
The Ellipsis is not to be supplied by the verb 'cometh.¨ But it should be:
'Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon for the rock of the field?
Or shall the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters?¨
Jer. 19:1 . 'Go and get ( R.V. buy) a potter`s earthen vessel and take of the elders of
the people, &c.¨
Hos. 8:1 . ' He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD :¨ i.e. , as an
eagle shall the enemy come against the house of the LORD .
pl. The Plural Number.
sing. The Singular Number.
Amos 3:11 . 'Thus saith the Lord GOD (Adonai Jehovah): an adversary there shall be ,
etc.¨ So the R.V. But 'an adversary shall come , ¨ would be better.¨
Matt. 26:5 . 'But they said, not on the feast day , ¨ i.e., Let us not do it on the feast day
(so also Mark 14:2 ).
Acts 15:25 . 'Certain which went out from us have troubled you with words,
subverting your souls, saying, ye must be circumcised, and keep the law,¨ i.e. , saying, ye
ought to be circumcised, and to keep the law.
Rom. 2:7–10 . There are several ellipses in these verses which may be thus supplied.
'To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and
immortality [ he will give ] eternal life. But unto them that are contentious and do not
obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, [ shall come ] indignation and wrath, tribulation
and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first and also of the
Gentile
*
; but glory, honour, and peace [ shall be rendered ] to every man that worketh
good, to the dew first and also to the Gentile.¨
Rom. 4:9 . ' Cometh this blessedness then on the circumcision only , or upon the
uncircumcision also?¨
I.e. , 'This blessedness, then, [ cometh it only ] on the circumcision?¨
Rom. 6:19 . 'For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to
iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto
holiness.¨
I.e. , 'To [ work ] iniquity¨: and 'to [ work ] holiness.¨
Rom. 11:18 . 'Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the
root, but the root thee,¨ i.e. , but if thou boast, I tell thee (or know thou ) thou bearest not
the root, but the root beareth thee.
*
In Deut. 28:53 , this is applied to the Jew ( cf. Sept. ). 'In thy anguish and tribulation
wherewith thine enemy shall afflict thee.¨ ( A.V. , 'In the siege and in the straitness
wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee¨). Cf. Isa. 8:22 .
While in Isa. 13:9 , this is applied to the Gentile .
Thus these words are applied even in the Old Testament: 'to the Jew first, and also to
the Gentile.¨
Rom. 13:11 . 'And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of
sleep, etc.¨
The Greek is ( kai touto ), 'and this [ I add or I exhort ] knowing the
reason, that [ it is ] already the hour [ for us ] to awake out of sleep.¨
1 Cor. 2:12 . 'Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which
is of God.¨
There is no verb in this latter clause, and the verb 'is¨ which is supplied in the A.V.
should be in italics. But 'which [ cometh ] from God,¨ is better; or ' is received ,¨
repeated from the previous sentence.
1 Cor. 4:20 . 'For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.¨ There is no verb
in the whole of this verse; consequently one must be supplied:'For the kingdom of God
[ is established or governed ] not by word (or speech as in verse 19 ) but by power.¨
1 Cor. 14:33 . 'For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches
of the saints.¨ There is no verb in the latter clause, therefore one must be supplied. The
word 'God¨ may also be repeated as in the R.V. :
'For God is not [ a God ] of confusion, but of peace, as [ He is ] in all churches of the
saints.¨ Or, 'as in all the churches of the saints [ is well known ].¨
2 Cor. 9:14 . 'And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding
, and requires
the verb to be supplied, 'for the exceeding grace of God [ bestowed ] upon you.¨
2 Cor. 12:18 . 'I desired Titus [ to go to you ], etc.¨
Gal. 5:13 . 'Only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh.¨
Here the A.V. supplies ' use .¨ But it might well be ' misuse or abuse .¨
Eph. 4:9 . 'Now that he ascended.¨ The Greek reads as in R.V. , 'Now this, He
ascended.¨ But the Ellipsis must be supplied: 'Now, this [ fact ]¨ or 'Now, this [
expression ], He ascended, what is it unless that he also descended first into the lower
parts of the earth?¨
Eph. 5:9 . 'For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth:¨
i.e. , [ consists ] in these things.
All the ancient MSS. and critical texts, and the R.V. agree in reading ( ph tos )
of the light , instead of ( pneumatos ) of the Spirit ; and thus 'the fruits of the
light¨ are contrasted with 'the unfruitful works of darkness.¨
Phil. 3:15 . 'Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:¨ i.e. , [ desire to
be ] perfect. There is no verb, and the word 'be¨ ought to have been put in italics.
1 Tim. 2:6 . 'Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.¨ Here
there is no verb in the latter clause. The Greek reads, 'the testimony in due times 'or in
its own seasons. Hence the A.V. has boldly substituted a Verb for the noun 'to be
testified¨; while the R.V. has rendered it: 'the testimony to be borne in its own times.¨
We may supply the Ellipsis more fully thus: 'the testimony [ of which, was to be borne
by us ] in his own appointed season.¨
The word 'all¨ must be taken here in the sense of 'all¨ without distinction , because
before Christ`s death the ransom was only for one nationIsrael. It cannot be 'all¨
without exception , for in that case all would and must be saved. See under Synecdoche .
Philem. 6 . '[ I pray ] that the communication of thy faith may become effectual, etc.¨
1 Pet. 4:11 . 'If any man speak, let him speak , as the oracles of God [ require ].
2 Pet. 2:3 . 'Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not.¨ There is no 'now¨ in
the Greek. 'Whose judgment [ threatened ] of old, lingereth not. See Jude 4 .
1 John 3:20 . 'For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth
all things.¨
( hoti ) , that , occurs twice, and the construction is
'for,¨ and ignoring the second
occurrence altogether. The R.V. ev
), which, beyond the Alexandrian Codex, has scarcely any MS. support, and only
that of one Textual critic (Lachmann). The R.V. connects verse 20 with verse 10 , and
translates 'and shall assure our heart before him, whereinsoever our heart condemn us,
because God is greater, &c.¨ But this English is as difficult as the Greek.
, and translating
it 'that,¨ as it is rendered 613 times in the N.T.:
'For if our heart condemn us [ we know ] that God is greater than our heart.¨
( a ) The Verb ' to say ¨
This is frequently omitted in the original, but is generally supplied in italics in the A.V.
Where it is omitted the emphasis is to be placed on what is said rather than on the act
of saying it.
Gen. 26:7 . 'Lest, said he , the men of the place should kill me.¨
1 Kings 20:34 . 'Then said Ahab.¨
Ps. 2:2 . 'Why do . the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his
anointed, saying .¨
Ps. 109:5 . The structure of this Psalm shows that the verb saying must be supplied at
the end of verse 5 .
A 15 . David`s prayer for himself: and complaint.
B 620 . David`s enemies` words against him: (ending 'that speak evil against
my soul.¨)
A 2128 . David`s prayer for himself: and complaint.
B 2831 . David`s enemies` acts against him: (ending 'that condemn his
soul.¨)
Here in B and B we have David`s enemies. In B ( 620 ) their words and in B ( 28
31 ) their acts. So that verses 620 are not David`s words at all, but the words of David`s
enemies, the evil which they speak against his soul. The evil which they speak is
contrasted with the 'good¨ which he prays for himself in the next verse ( 21 ). 'Let them
curse,¨ he says in verse 28 , 'but bless Thou!¨ Let them say 'let Satan stand at his right
hand¨ (verse 6 ); but he is assured (verse 31 ) that not Satan but Jehovah shall 'stand at
the right hand of the poor to save him from them that condemn his soul.¨
Hence in verse 20 David prays, 'Let this be the wages
*
of mine enemies from the
Lord, and of them that speak evil against my soul.¨
So that verse 5 will now read:
'And they have rewarded me evil for good,
And hatred for my good will [ saying ].¨
Then the Psalm goes on (verses 619 ) to describe the 'hatred.¨
Having said in verses 2 and 3 that
'The mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened upon me.
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
They compassed me about also with words of hatred,¨
* ( peullah ), wages , as in Lev. 19:13 . Isa. 40:10 ; 49:4 ; 59:8 ; 52:11 . Jer. 22:13 .
it is only natural to supply the verb saying at the end of verse 5 .
Ps. 144:12 is similar. The structure shows that verses 12 to 15 contain the words of the
'strange Children,¨ and not the words of David.
A
1
17 . David`s words (Thanksgiving and Prayer).
B
1
8 . The words of the strange children (vanity and falsehood).
A
2
911 . David`s words (Thanksgiving and Prayer).
B
2
1115 . The words of the strange children (vanity and falsehood).
A
3
15 . David`s words. The true conclusion as opposed to the 'vanity.¨
The word say should be put in italics after the word 'that¨ in verse 12 , and then all
the many italics inserted in verses 1115 can be dispensed with. It is clearly suggested in
verses 8 and 11 . So clearly that there is hardly any necessity to use it or repeat it in verse
12 . The pronoun ( asher ), who , is clearer than 'that.¨ Lit. , 'who [ say ].¨ Then
the Psalm (B. 1115 ) goes on to give the vanity and the falsehood as to what constitutes
the true happiness of any people:Who say
'Our sons are as plants grown up in their youth;
Our daughters are as corner-stones, polished after the similitude of a palace;
Our garners are full, affording all manner of store;
Our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets;
Our oxen are strong to labour.
There is no breaking in nor going out.
There is no complaining in our streets.
Happy people that are in such a case!¨
Then comes, in contrast, David`s true estimate:
' NO ! Happy is that people whose God is Jehovah.¨
This is the truth as to real happiness, as is so beautifully declared in Ps. 4:6 , 7 :
'There be many that say, Who will show us good?
LORD , lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart,
More than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.¨
Yes, this is the only real 'good.¨ This is the only source of abiding happiness and
gladness for any People. It is not the increase of corn and wine, but the light of God`s
countenance; it is not the store which men put in their garners, but it is the 'gladness¨
which God puts in our hearts. The structure of the whole Psalm agrees with this, and
indeed necessitates this interpretation.
So, in Ps. 146:6 , happiness is declared to consist in having the God of Jacob for our
help, and our hope and help in the LORD our God: for there is 'no help¨ in man (verse 3
).
Isa. 5:9 . 'In mine ears said the LORD of hosts.¨
Isa. 14:8 . 'Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying .¨
Isa. 18:2 . 'That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the
waters, saying .¨
Isa. 22:13 . 'And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating
flesh, and drinking wine: [ saying ] Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we shall die.¨
Isa. 24:14 , 15 . 'They shall cry aloud from the sea, [ saying ], Wherefore,¨ etc.
Isa. 28:9 . 'Whom shall he teach knowledge?¨ etc.
That is, 'Whom [ say they ] shall he teach knowledge?¨ This verse and the following
are the scornful words of 'the scornful men¨ mentioned in verse 14 . They ridicule the
words of the prophet, saying, 'for it is tsav upon tsav, tsav upon tsav, &c.,¨
*
not ' must
be ¨ but ' it is .¨
Then, in verse 11 , the prophet answers 'For,¨ or 'Yea, verily, with stammerings of
lip and another (or foreign) tongue will he speak to this people,¨ and he tells them why
'the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept;¨ viz. (verse 13 ), that they
might fall and be broken.
Jer. 9:19 . 'For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, [ saying ], How are we
spoiled!¨
Jer. 11:19 . 'I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying .¨
Jer. 50:5 . 'They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying .¨
* See under Paronomasia .
Lam. 3:41 . 'Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens, [ saying
].¨
Hos. 14:8 . 'Ephraim shall say , ¨ etc.
Acts 9:6 . 'And the Lord said unto him,¨ etc.
Acts 10:15 . 'And the voice spake unto him again the second time.¨
Acts 14:22 .'Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in
the faith, and saying that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of
God.¨
2 Cor. 12:16 . 'But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless [ you say that ] being
crafty, I caught you with guile.¨
2. When the INFINITIVE of the verb is wanting:
( a ) After the Hebrew yahk l ) able
Ps. 21:11 . 'They imagined a mischievous device, which they are not able to perform
.¨
Ps. 101:5 . 'Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer,¨ i.e. , I am
not able to bear .
Isa. 1:13 . 'The new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away
with,¨ i.e. , I am not able to endure . See Jer. 44:22 .
Ps. 139:6 . ' Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto
it.¨ Here the Ellipsis is properly supplied: i.e. , I am not able to attain unto it.
Hos. 8:5 . 'How long will it be ere they attain to innocency?¨ i.e. , how long ere they
are able to practise innocency?
1 Cor. 3:2 . 'I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able
to bear it,” i.e. , to eat , or partake of it , or, to digest it .
( b ) After the verb to finish
1 Sam. 16:11 . 'Are here all thy children?¨ Here the Ellipsis is avoided by a free and
idiomatic translation. The Heb. reads, 'Have the young men finished?¨ i.e. , ' Are the
young men finished passing by? ¨ or done passing before me?
Matt. 10:23 . 'Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of Man be
come.¨ Lit. 'Ye will not have finished going over the cities,¨ etc., referring to verses 6
and 7 .
Matt. 13:53 . 'When Jesus had finished these parables,¨ i.e. , when Jesus had finished
speaking these parables.
( c ) When the INFINITIVE is wanting after another verb, personal or impersonal
Gen. 9:20 . 'And Noah began to be an husbandman,¨ or, 'And Noah the husbandman
began and planted, etc.¨
1 Kings 7:47 . 'And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed because they were
exceeding many,¨ i.e. , and Solomon omitted to weigh , etc.
Prov. 21:5 . 'The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness: but of every one
that is hasty only to want.¨
Here plenteousness is ( m thar ) that which is over and above, excess , (from
( yahthar ) to be superfluous ).
'The thoughts of the diligent tend only to excess, and [ the thoughts ] of every one
that hasteth [ to get riches tend ] only to want.¨
The R.V. supplies the Ellipses thus. 'But every one that is hasty hasteth only to
want¨; ' hasting to want¨ is very obscure, but the 'hasting to get riches¨ tending to want
is clear.
Mark 15:8 . 'And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever
done unto them,¨ i.e., that he should do .
Luke 13:33 . 'Nevertheless I must walk to-day, and to-morrow, and the day
following,¨ etc.
The R.V. has 'Howbeit I must go on my way.¨ But the Greek is 'Howbeit it behoves
me to-day, and to-morrow, and the day following, to go on [ to work ],¨ i.e. , to continue
working.
Rom. 4:25 . 'Who was delivered [ to die ] for our offences.¨
3. When the VERB SUBSTANTIVE is omitted
The Hebrew having no verb substantive, this is generally expressed in italics in the A.V.
But inasmuch as it is absolutely necessary for the sense in English, the R.V. has printed it
in roman type. (See preface to R.V. );
Gen. 1:2 . 'Darkness was upon the face of the deep.¨
Gen. 2:10 . Lit. 'And there was a river going out of Eden.¨
Gen. 3:6 . 'And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes,¨ etc.
Gen 4:13 . 'My punishment is greater than I can bear.¨
Gen. 5:1 . 'This is the book of the generations of Adam.¨
Num. 14:9 . 'Only rebel not ye against the LORD , neither fear ye the people of the
land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with
us; fear them not.¨
These are the words of Joshua and Caleb to the people to encourage them to go up in
spite of the false report of the other spies.
Note first the marginal rendering of the word 'defence.¨ It is given 'Heb. shadow ,¨
i.e. , 'Their shadow is departed.¨ So in the R.V. the word 'shadow¨ is treated as though it
were a figure ( Metonymy ). The literal meaning of the word is departed from, as well as
the literal rendering of the preceding sentence. This is ( kee lachmenoo ) 'for
they are our bread.¨
The A.V. correctly supplies the Ellipsis, i.e. , our bread aptly represents their
condition.
What was their 'bread¨? It was manna. What was the manna like? It was most
marvellous bread, for it was so hard that it had to be ground in mills, or beaten in a
mortar ( Num. 11:8 ); and yet its consistency was so peculiar that it melted in the sun! (
Ex. 16:21 ). If it were not gathered every morning before the sun arose and the shadows
departed, 'when the sun waxed hot, it melted¨!
*
The wicked spies had just said ( Num. 13:31 ) that Israel could not go up against the
people of the land, for they are 'stronger than we¨: they were strong and hard. No, replies
Joshua, it may be they are strong, but so is our bread the mannaso strong that it needs
grinding and crushing, and yet, when the shadow goes from off it, it melts away. Even so
is it with them, as the words of Rahab testify ( Josh. 2:11 ). The two spies whom Joshua
afterwards sent heard the very same truth from the lips of Rahab, which he, one of the
two faithful spies whom Moses had sent, forty years before declared. She tells them:
'As soon as we had heard these things , our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any
more courage in any man, because of you.¨
* Marvellous bread indeed! A standing miracle, both as to the manner in which it was
given, and also as to its consistency. Bread indeed, hard, and yet melting like ice in the
sun.
Thus, while the literal signification of the words gives no sense, they point to the true
figure; and then, in turn, the figure explains the literal signification of the words, and the
true meaning of the passage. So that we may render it thus:'Only rebel not ye against
Jehovah, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they [ are like ] our bread; their
shadow hath turned aside from off them, and Jehovah is with us; fear them not,¨ i.e. , as
when the shadow turns aside from off our bread, it melts away and disappears, so these
enemies, hard and strong as they might be, would surely melt away before the Lord God,
the Sun and the Shield of His people. In no sense could Jehovah be the shadow or
defence of the people of the land against whom Israel was about to fight.
1 Sam. 19:11 . 'To-morrow thou shalt be slain.¨
2 Kings 6:33 . 'Behold, this evil is of the LORD .¨
2 Chron. 3:9 . 'And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold.¨
The verb is omitted to show that the emphasis is on the 'nails¨ and their 'weight.¨
And what a wonderful emphasis it is! For in all the requirements for 'the house of God,¨
the fir-trees, the fine gold, the precious stones, the beams, the posts, the walls, etc., are
mentioned; yet, the 'nails¨ that held all together are not omitted. Though they were small,
yet God used them: though out of sight, they were necessary.
Ps. 33:4 . 'For the word of the LORD is right.¨
Ps. 99:9 . 'For the LORD our God is holy.¨
It is worthy of note that there are three Psalms which begin with the words: 'The
LORD reigneth,¨ viz., xciii., xcvii., and xcix. They each end with a reference to holiness .
Ps. 93 'Holiness becometh Thine house, O LORD , for ever.¨
Ps. 97 'Give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.¨
Ps. 99 The third Psalm, three times:
Verse 3 . 'It is holy.¨
Verse 5 . 'He is holy.¨
Verse 9 . 'The LORD our God is holy.¨
To those who have ears to hear, this plainly declares that when the Lord shall reign,
all will be holy; that when His kingdom comes, His name will be hallowed on earth as it
is in heaven. 'In that day shall there be upon the bells (or bridles) of the horses,
HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD ; and the pots in the LORD`S house shall be like the
bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be HOLINESS unto
the LORD of hosts¨ ( Zech. 14:20 , 21 ). 'Her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness
to the Lord¨ ( Isa. 23:18 ).
The cry of the living creatures ( Rev. 4:8 , etc.) is 'Holy, holy, holy,¨ and their call is
for the judgments which will issue in the Lord`s reign, which is celebrated in these three
Psalms. Those who teach that the Cherubim (or the Cherubs) are the Church fail to see
that their chief function is to call for judgment!
Ps. 119:89 . 'For ever, O LORD .¨ The verb must here be supplied. The verb in the
parallel line answers to the verb here:
'For ever [ art Thou ] O LORD ;
Thy word is settled in heaven.
Thy faithfulness is unto all generations;
Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.¨
In the first and third lines, we have Jehovah. In the second and fourth lines, we have
what He has settled and established.
Ecc. 7:12 . 'Wisdom is a defence.¨
Isa. 43:25 . 'I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake,
and will not remember thy sins.¨
We may take this in connection with Ps. 103:14 . 'For he knoweth our frame; he
remembereth that we are dust.¨
Here the verbs are omitted to throw the emphasis on the persons, rather than on the
acts. This points us to Jehovah in the former passage, and ourselves in the latterHis
Deity, and our vanityand to contrast His thoughts with our thoughts, His ways with our
ways. God remembers our infirmities; but this is the very thing that man will not
remember! Man will make no allowance for our infirmities. On the other hand, man will
remember our sins. Let any one of us fall into sin, and many will remember it after many
years: but this is what God says He will not remember! 'Their sins and their iniquities
will I remember no more.¨ He is Jehovah, we are dust! Hence our sins, which man
remembers, God will forget; but our infirmities, which man forgets, God will remember.
Blessed be God!
Isa. 44:6 . 'I am the first and I am the last, and beside me there is no God.¨
Ezek. 34:17 . 'And as for you.¨
The Ellipses of this passage may be thus supplied: 'And ye, O my flock, thus saith
the Lord GOD (Adonai Jehovah): Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the
rams and the he goats. [ Is it ] a small thing to you [ goats ] to have eaten up the good
pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have
drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet? And [ is it a small
thing that ] my flock [ i.e., my sheep ] eat [or must eat ] that which ye [ goats ] have
trodden with your feet; and drink that which ye have fouled with your feet?¨
The contrast is between the sheep and the goats. Sheep never become goats, and goats
never become sheep, either in nature or in grace. The Chief Shepherd knows His sheep
here; He separates them now, and will eternally separate them from the goats in the
coming day, when He shall 'save his flock, and judge between cattle and cattle¨ (verses
20 , 22 , 23 ).
The characteristic of the goat alluded to here, is graphically set forth in a paper read
before the Victoria Institute, Feb. 1, 1892, by J.W. Slater, Esq., F.C.S., F.E.S. He says,
'The native flora and fauna of St. Helena have been practically extirpated by the goat.
These young seedlings were browsed down as fast as they sprung up, and when the old
giants of the forest decayed there were no successors to take their place. As a necessary
consequence, the insects and birds disappeared in turn. The same horned wretch`fit
type of evilwhich, as Sir Joseph Hooker shows, has ravaged the earth to a greater
extent than man has done by war, is now in the very same manner laying waste South
Africa. To such an extent has the mischief already been carried, that a troop of the
Colonial Cavalry on the march actually gave three cheers on meeting a tree!¨
Have we not here a fit illustration of Ezek. 34 ? And may we not see in ecclesiastical
affairs around us (through the unfaithfulness of the shepherds) the ravages of the 'goats¨
in treading down and laying waste, and fouling the pastures of the flock of God? The
goats have turned our churches and chapels into places of amusement and of musical
entertainment, where they may have 'pleasant afternoons,¨ and 'make provision for the
flesh¨; so much so that the. Lord`s sheep are 'pushed¨ and 'scattered,¨ and scarcely
know where to find the 'green pastures¨ and the 'living waters¨ of the pure Word of God
and the Gospel of His grace! Thank God, the Chief Shepherd is coming: and, when He
comes, though He will scarcely 'find faith on the earth¨ ( Luke 18:8 ), He will 'save His
flock¨ and separate them from the goats for ever, and be their One True Shepherd.
Luke 2:14 . 'Glory to God in the highest,¨ i.e. , Glory be to God in the highest.
Luke 22:21 . 'The hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table.¨
John 4:24 . 'God is a Spirit.¨
See under Hendiadys and Hyperbaton .
Acts 2:29 . 'Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David.¨
Here the verb 'speak¨ is the infinitive: lit. , 'to speak,¨ and 'let me¨ is the present
, exon ),
*
permitted or allowed . So that we must supply the verb
, esto ), let me be: '[ let me be ] permitted to speak freely unto you,
or I am , or may be , permitted, etc.¨
1 Cor. 6:13 . 'Meats [ are ] for the belly, and the belly [ is ] for meats.¨
1 Cor. 15:29 . 'Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise
not at all?¨
This passage has been supposed to refer to a practice which obtained even in those
apostolic days of persons being baptized on behalf of and for the spiritual benefit of those
who were already dead. As this practice thus receives a tacit approval, and yet is destitute
of any historical evidence as to its existence, apart from this passage, various methods
have been proposed of meeting the difficulty which is thus raised. Some have erroneously
suggested that 'the dead¨ refers to Christ: but they have done so in ignorance of the fact
that the word is plural, as is clearly shown by the verb 'rise.¨ Others (with Macknight)
suggest the supply of the words ' resurrection of ¨'What shall they do which are
baptized for the [ resurrection of ] the dead?¨ But this implies the omission of the very
word which is most essential to the argument; and would be a form of Ellipsis seldom, if
ever, found. There are a multitude of other explanations; but the true solution of the
difficulty is (we submit) to be sought in punctuation, and in the correct supply of the
Ellipsis .
We must bear in mind that there is no punctuation in the ancient manuscripts, beyond
the greater pauses. All interpunctuation is purely human in its origin, and we may be
thankful that it is so seldom necessary to question its accuracy. We have also to note the
structure of the whole context, for this, like all other texts, must be interpreted in
harmony with the scope of the whole passage, and with the design of the whole
argument.
The following is the structure of 1 Cor. 15:1258 .
*
( exon ) occurs only three times, of these the first ( Matt. 12:4 ) has ( een ),
was , after it; while in the other two places (here, and 2 Cor. 12:4 ) it stands alone. In 2
( estin ), is; and so probably we
should do here.
*
The first eleven verses are constructed as follows:
D 1 . The apostle`s declaration.
E 1 , 2 . The Gospel he preached.
D 3 . The apostle`s declaration.
A 12 . The difficulty stated (as to the fact ). 'How?¨
B 1332 . The difficulty met.
C 33 , 34 . Practical application.
A 35 . The difficulty stated (as to the manner ). 'How?¨
B 3657 . The difficulty met.
C 58 . Practical application.
The structure of 'B¨ (verses 1332 ). The difficulty met .
B a 1318 . Negative hypothesis and its consequences.
b 19 . Conclusion ( positive ) as to Christ`s in this life.
a 2028 . Positive assertion and its consequences.
b 2932 . Conclusion ( negative ) as to Christ`s in this life.
The structure of 'a¨ (verses 1318 ). Negative hypothesis .
a c 13 . If no resurrection: Consequencethen Christ is not risen.
d 14 , 15 . If Christ not risen.
Consequences:
Our preaching vain.
Your faith vain.
We false witnesses.
c 16 . If no resurrection: Consequencethen Christ is not risen.
d 17 , 18 . If Christ not risen.
Consequences:
Your faith vain.
Ye yet in sins.
E 311 . The Gospel he received.
The dead perished.
The structure of ' A ¨ and ' B ¨ (verses 3557 ). The difficulty stated .
A e 35 . Question: How are the dead raised up?
f 35 . Question: With what body do they come?
B f 3649 . Answer to 'f.¨
e 5057 . Answer to 'e.¨
The structure therefore of this chapter shows that verses 2028 (' a ¨) are placed,
practically, in a parenthesis, so that this 29th verse reads on from the 19th verse, and
continues the argument thus:' 17 . If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet
in your sins. 18 . Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 . If in
this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 29 . Else what
shall they do which are being baptized?¨
*
But here comes in the matter of punctuation. In. Rom. 8:34 we have a very similar
construction, which, if we treat it as 1 Cor. 15:29 is treated in the A.V. and R.V. , would
read thus, 'Who is he that condemneth Christ that died?¨ But the question is made to end
at the word 'condemneth,¨ and the Ellipsis of the verb substantive is supplied thus:
'Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died¨ (or better, ' Is it Christ who died?¨
See below). Now if we treat 1 Cor. 15:29 in the same manner, it will read, 'What shall
they do which are being baptized? It is on behalf of the dead if the dead rise not at all!¨
From Rom. 6 we learn that our circumcision is in Christ`s death, our baptism is in
Christ`s burial. 'Buried with Him by the baptism of Him, ( i.e. , by His baptism-unto-
death)¨; and if He is not raised, we cannot be raised, Rom. 6:4 . (See above, pages 18 , 19
). 'Buried with Him in the baptism of him , ¨ i.e. , His baptism ( Col. 2:11 , 12 ).
Therefore if Christ be not raised, we are not raised in Him, and our baptism is for the
dead.
Whenever we have the word ( nekros ), dead , with the article (as it is here in
1 Cor. 15:29 ), it always denotes dead bodies, corpses . (See Gen. 23:3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 13 ,
15 . Deut. 28:26 . Jer. 12:33 . Ezek. 37:19 . Luke 24:5 .) On the contrary, when it is
without the article it denotes the persons who are dead, dead people . (See Deut. 14:1 .
Matt. 22:33 . Mark 9:10 . Luke 16:30 , 31 ; 24:46 . John 20:9 . Acts 10:41 ; 26:23 . Rom.
6:13 ; 10:7 ; 11:15 . Heb. 11:19 ; 13:20 ).
* Alford (who arrives at a very different conclusion) points out that ( hoi
baptizomenoi ) is the present participle and not the past, i.e., those who are being
baptized . He observes: 'The distinction is important as affecting the interpretation.¨
So that this is an additional argument why, if Christ be not raised, and we are buried
with Him, then baptism is in the interest of those who are to remain dead corpses, and not
of risen ones, raised with Christ.
( hyper ). Like the English 'for,¨ it denotes the
object of interest , not merely the subject, and ranges from mere reference to actual
substitution, e.g. , 2 Cor. 8:23 , 'Whether any enquire about Titus¨; Matt. 5:44 , 'Pray for
those who persecute you¨; Mark 9:40 , 'He who is not against us is for us¨; 2 Cor. 1:6 ,
'Whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation¨; Philem. 13 , 'That he might
minister to me instead of thee.¨
*
If Christ be not raised, well may those who are being baptized into Christ`s burial be
asked, 'What shall they do?¨ Truly, ' It is for the dead.¨ For they will remain dead, as
corpses. In this life they 'die daily¨ (verse 31 ); in death they perish (verse 18 ); and are
thus 'of all men most miserable¨ (verse 19 ).
'What shall they do who are being baptized? It is for the dead if the dead rise not at
all!¨ It is to remain dead, as corpses, without hope of resurrection.
Thus, the expression, 'baptized for the dead,¨ vanishes from the Scripture, and is
banished from theology; for the assumed practice is gathered only from this passage, and
is unknown to history apart from it.
1 Cor. 15:48 . 'As is the earthy [ man, Adam ] such [ shall be ] also they that are
earthy; and as is the heavenly [ man, the Lord ] such [ shall be ] they also that are
heavenly.¨
This is clear from the verse that follows:'And as we have borne the image of the
earthy [ man, Adam ] we shall also bear the image of the heavenly [ man, the Lord ].¨ See
Phil. 3:21 .
2 Cor. 11:22 . 'Are they Hebrews? So am I,¨ etc.
Eph. 3:1 . 'For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,¨ i.e. , 'I
Paul [ am ] the prisoner,¨ etc.
Phil. 4:16 . 'For even [ when I was ] in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my
necessity.¨
2 Tim. 3:16 . 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable.¨
f
* See also Rom. 9:27 . 2 Cor. 1:11 ; 8:23 , 24 . 2 Thess. 2:1 . Col. 1:7 .
f See this passage also under the figures of Asyndeton and Paregmenon .
With this we may take eight other passages, where we have the same construction:
viz., Rom. 7:12 . 1 Cor. 11:30 . 2 Cor. 10:10 . 1 Tim. 1:15 ; 2:3 ; 4:4 ; 4:9 . and Heb. 4:13
.
These nine passages may be taken together, and considered in their bearing on the
translation of 2 Tim. 3:16 in the Revised Version, which is as follows:
'Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable,¨ etc.
In each of these passages we have the very same Greek construction , and four of
them are in the Epistles to Timothy. The A.V. translates all these nine passages in
precisely the same way, and on the same principles. But the R.V. translates eight of them
in one way ( i.e. , like the A.V. ), while it renders one on quite a different principle.
Here are the passages, and the rendering as in the Authorized Version:
ROM. 7:12 .
The
commandment
is holy and just.
1 COR. 11:30 .
many are weak and sickly.
2 COR. 10:10 .
his letters are weighty and powerful.
1 TIM. 1:15 and 4:9 .
faithful is the saying and worthy of all acceptation.
1 TIM. 2:3 .
this is good and acceptable.
1 TIM. 4:4 .
Every creature
of God
is good and nothing to be refused.
2 TIM. 3:16 .
All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God
and is profitable.
HEB. 4:13 .
All things are naked and opened.
Now the case stands thus. The Revisers have translated eight of these passages, which
we have cited, on the same principles as the A.V. , i.e. , supplying in italics the verb
substantive ' is ¨ and ' are ¨ respectively, and taking the copulative
joining together the two predicates. But when the Revisers come to the ninth passage ( 2
Tim. 3:16 ), they separate the two conjoined predicates, making the first a part of the
subject, and then are obliged to translate the
nothing antecedent to it. Thus:
'Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable.¨
Now, if the Revisers had translated the other eight passages in the same way, the
renderings would have been consistent , whatever else they might not have been.
Rom. 7:12 would have been
'The holy commandment is also just.¨
1 Cor. 11:30 would have been
'Many weak ones are also sickly.¨
2 Cor. 10:10 would have been
'His weighty letters are also powerful.¨
1 Tim. 1:15 and 4:9 would have been
'The faithful saying is also worthy of all acceptation.¨
1 Tim. 2:3 would have been
'This good thing is also acceptable.¨
1 Tim. 4:4 would have been
'Every good creature of God is also nothing to be refused.¨
Heb. 4:13 would have been
'All naked things are also opened,¨ etc.
But the Revisers do not translate them thus! And the fact that they render the whole of
these eight passages as in the A.V. , and single out 2 Tim. 3:16 for different treatment,
forbids us to accept the inconsistent rendering, and deprives it of all authority. Without
inquiring as to what the motives of the Revisers may have been, we are justified in
regretting that this should be the passage singled out for this inconsistent and exceptional
treatment, reducing it to a mere platitude. It is only fair to add that the correct rendering
of the A.V. is given in the margin.
Philem. 11 . 'Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now [ is ] profitable to
thee and to me.¨
4. When the PARTICIPLE is wanting
Num. 24:19 . ¨ Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion.¨
The R.V. is more literal:'And out of Jacob shall one have dominion.¨
The Heb. is simply:'And one shall rule (or have dominion) out of Jacob.¨
The Ellipsis of the participle being supplied, it reads:'And one shall rule [ being
born ] out of Jacob.¨
1 Sam. 15:7 . 'And Saul smote the Amalekites [ dwelling ] from Havilah unto Shur.¨
This refers to the region occupied by the Amalekites, and not to the people smitten, as
is clear from chap. 30 .
Isa. 57:8 . 'Thou hast discovered thyself to another than me,¨ i.e. , 'thou hast
discovered thyself, departing from me,¨ ( meïttee ).
Ezek. 11:11 . 'This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the
midst thereof; but I will judge you [ scattered ] in the border of Israel.¨
Mark 7:4 . 'And [ on coming ] from the market, they eat not except they wash.¨
Mark 7:17 . 'And when he was entered into the house [ getting away ] from the
people.¨
Acts 13:20 . 'And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of 450 years.¨
Lit., 'After these things [ were done ],¨ i.e. , after the division of the land by Joshua.
*
2 Thess. 1:9 . 'Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction [ driven out ] from
the presence of the Lord.¨
* For the question as to the Chronology involved in this difficulty, see Number in
Scripture , by the same author and publisher, page 5.
Heb. 2:3 . 'Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto
us by them that heard him , ¨ i.e. , 'which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord,
and, [ being brought ] unto us by them that heard him, was confirmed,¨ etc.
III. When Certain Connected Words are omitted in the same Member of a Passage
This particular form of Ellipsis has a distinct name, BRACHYLOGIA ( from
, brachus , short , and , logos , discourse ), English, Bra-chyl´-o-gy . Or
eans brevity of speech or writing, and is
used of an Ellipsis , in which words are omitted chiefly for the sake of brevity; which
words may easily be supplied from the nature of the subject.
Gen. 25:32 . 'And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die; and what profit shall this
birthright do to me?¨ There must be supplied, the thought , if not the words: ' I will
sell it .¨ So with the next verse. 'And Jacob said, Swear to me this day [ that thou wilt
sell it me ]; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.¨
Gen. 45:12 . 'And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it
is my mouth that speaketh unto you.¨ Lit., it is, 'because my mouth ( , kee phee ) is
speaking unto you.¨ If we supply the Ellipsis , we may retain this literal rendering.
Joseph had been speaking of his glory (verse 8 ): but, on the principle of Prov. 27:2 :
'Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth,¨ he breaks off and says, 'Now,
behold, your eyes are seeing, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin; because my own
mouth is speaking unto you [ I cannot speak of all my glory ], but ye shall declare to my
father all my glory in Egypt, and all that ye have seen,¨ i.e. , THEY were to describe what
HE could not well say of himself.
2 Kings 19:9 . 'And when he had heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he
is come out to fight against thee: [ he turned his army against him; and, having
conquered him, he returned to Jerusalem, and ] he sent messengers again unto
Hezekiah.¨
2 Kings 22:18 . 'Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As touching the words which thou
hast heard.¨
So the R.V. but without italics. But surely the sense is:'Thus saith the LORD God
of Israel: The words which thou (Josiah) hast heard [ shall surely come to pass, but ]
because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself,¨ etc. . 'thou shalt be
gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will
bring upon this place.¨
1 Chron. 18:10 . 'He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare,
and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for
Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and
brass.¨
The R.V. supplies 'and he had with him .¨ But the Ellipsis is to be supplied from 2
Sam. 8:10 , thus, 'And all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass were in his hand
¨ ( ).
Ezek. 47:13 . 'Joseph shall have two portions,¨ i.e. , shall inherit .
Matt. 21:22 . 'All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall
receive,¨ i.e. , add ' if it be His will .¨ Compare Matt. 26:3944 ; Jos. 5:14 , 15 ; 1 John
5:14 , 15 . This is the one abiding condition of all real prayer, and the Ellipsis must be
thus supplied wherever it is found.
In Mark 5 we have by way of illustration three prayers
1. In verses 12 , 13 . 'The devils besought him,¨ and 'Jesus gave them leave.¨
2. In verse 17 . The Gadarenes 'began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.¨
And Jesus left them.
3. In verses 18 , 19 . 'He that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he
might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not.¨
'No!¨ is an answer to prayer l and often, very often, a most gracious and loving
answer too. No greater calamity could come upon us than for God to answer 'Yes¨ to all
our ignorant requests. Better to have our prayers refused with this man who had been the
subject of His grace and love and power, than to have them answered with Devils and
Gadarenes.
Matt. 25:9 . 'But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us
and you;¨ i.e. , 'But the wise answered, By no means, for look , there will not be enough,
&c., or we cannot give to you , lest, &c.¨
Mark 14:49 . 'But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.¨ The Greek is, 'But that the
Scriptures may be fulfilled.¨ The R.V. correctly supplies the Ellipsis , 'But this is done
that the Scriptures should be fulfilled.¨ (Compare Matt. 26:56 .)
Luke 7:43 . 'Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most [
will love him most ].¨
John 2:18 . 'What sign showest thou unto us [ that thou art the Messiah ], seeing that
thou doest these things?¨ As in Judges 6:17 , Gideon says, 'Show me a sign that thou [
art Jehovah that ] talkest with me.¨
John 7:38 . 'He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water.¨
The difficulties of this verse are great, as may be seen by a reference to the
commentators. It will be noted that a comparison is suggested by the word ( kath s
), like as , and that there is an Ellipsis which must be supplied. Bengel suggests 'as the
Scripture hath said so it shall be , ¨ or ' so shall it be .¨ But something more is evidently
required. Is there not a reference to the Haphtarah , i.e. , the portion selected (from the
Prophets) as the lesson to be read on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which was
Zech. 14:121 ?
*
The Lord was not present then, for it was not until 'the midst of the
feast¨ that He went up (verse 14 ). But in 'the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus
stood and cried,¨ with evident reference to the Scripture which had been read, 'He that
believeth on me (as the Scripture hath said [ concerning Jerusalem: so shall it be ]) out of
his heart rivers of living water shall flow.¨ What the Scripture had said concerning
Jerusalem in Zech. 14:8 was this:'And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go
out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the
hinder sea,¨ &c. To this agree the words of the prophecy in Ezek. 47:111 . These
prophecies shall yet be literally fulfilled with regard to Jerusalem: and what will then
actually take place illustrates what takes place now in the experience of every one who
believes in Jesus. Even as those rivers will flow forth from Jerusalem in that day, so now
the Holy Spirit, in all His wondrous powers, and gifts, and graces, flows forth from the
inward partsthe new nature of the believer.
John 13:18 . 'I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but [ I have done
this ] that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his
heel against me.¨ Compare verses 2630 .
John 15:25 . 'But this cometh to pass , that the word might be fulfilled that is written
in their law, They hated me without a cause.¨ The abbreviated expression emphasizes the
statement to which we are thus hastened on. And our attention is called to the fact that
( d rean ) here rendered 'without a cause¨ is in Rom. 3:24 rendered 'freely.¨
'Being justified freely by his grace¨: i.e. , there was no more cause why we should be
'justified¨ than there was why Jesus should be 'hated¨!
John 15:27 . 'Ye have been with me from the beginning [ and are still with me ].¨
Compare 16:4 , and see 1 John 3:8 below.
Rom. 9:16 .Here the reference is to Esau and Jacob, spoken of in verses 1013 , and to
the history as recorded in Gen. 27:3 , 4 .
'So then [ election is ] not of him who willeth [as Isaac wished to bless Esau
according to 'the will of the flesh¨
*
], nor of him that runneth [ as Esau ran for venison
that his father might eat, and bless him ], but of God who showeth mercy.¨
* The portion from the Law ( Acts 13:15 ) read in conjunction with this was Lev. 22:26
23:44 ; with Num. 29:1216 .
* As Jacob was asked to bless Ephraim and Manasseh according to 'the will of man¨
(Joseph) ( Gen. 48:1514 ). Both cases are instanced in Heb. 11:20 , 21 as acts of
1 Cor. 9:4 . 'Have we not power to eat and to drink [ at the expense of our converts or
of the Church ]?¨ Without this there is no sequence in the apostle`s argument. Or we may
supply [ without working with our own hands ], see verses 6 and 7 .
2 Cor. 5:3 . 'If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.¨
Here the blessed hope of Resurrection is described as being clothed upon with the
heavenly body. This is the subject which commences at 2 Cor. 4:14 . In chap. 5:3 the
is ignored in both A.V. and R.V. The Greek is, 'If indeed BEING CLOTHED also, we
shall not be found naked [ as some among you say ].¨ There were some among the
Corinthians who said 'there is no resurrection of the dead¨ ( 1 Cor. 15:12 , 35 ), and here
those assertions are thus referred to.
Gal. 2:9 . 'They gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we unto
the heathen, and they unto the circumcision, [ should carry the apostolic message and
decrees ].¨
Eph. 4:29 . Here the word ei ) if is omitted in the translation both in the A.V. and
R.V. Not observing the Ellipsis , the word 'if¨ was omitted to make sense.
With the 'if¨ retained, the Ellipsis is properly supplied thus:
'Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but, if any [ speech be ]
good to the use of edifying, [ let it be spoken ] that it may minister grace unto the
hearers.¨
Phil. 4:11 . 'I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.¨
The R.V. reads 'therein to be content,¨ without italics. But what is he to be content
with? Surely not content with the circumstances, but with the will of God . So that the
verse will read, 'I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content with [ the will of
God ].¨
1 John 3:8 . 'The devil sinneth from the beginning [and still sinneth ].¨
IV. When a Whole Clause is omitted in a Connected Passage
1. When the FIRST MEMBER of a clause is omitted
Matt. 16:7 . 'And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have
taken no bread.¨
“Faith,” i.e., faith’s exercise of gifts contrary to 'the will of the flesh,¨ as in the case of
Isaac; and contrary to 'the will of man¨ in the case of Jacob.
Here the first member of the latter clause is wanting. It is supplied in the A.V. by the
words ' It is .¨ The R.V. , not seeing this Ellipsis, has boldly omitted the ( hoti )
because , and translated:'And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no
bread¨ (giving the A.V. in the margin).
The Ellipsis of the first member is properly filled up thus:'And they reasoned
among themselves, saying [ Jesus spoke thus , verse 6 ], because we have taken no
bread.¨
See further under Hypocatastasis .
Mark 3:30 . 'Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.¨ Here the first clause is
omitted:'[ Jesus said this unto them ], because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.¨
Luke 9:13 . 'He said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more
but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.¨
There is something wanting here, which may be thus supplied:'We have no more
than five loaves and two fishes; [ therefore we are not able to give to them to eat ] except
we should go and buy meat for all this people.¨
John 5:7 . 'The impotent man answered him, Sir, [ I am indeed willing, but ], I have
no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool,¨ etc.
2 Thess. 2:3 . 'Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come ,
except there come a falling away first.¨ (Lit., the apostasy.) The R.V. fills up the Ellipsis
of the prior member, by the words' it will not be , ¨ which is weak and tame compared
with the A.V.
What is referred to is the day of the Lord,
*
mentioned in the preceding verse. 'Let no
man deceive you by any means: for [ the day of the Lord shall not come ] except there
come the falling away first:¨ i.e. , the great apostasy, which is the subject of many
prophecies, must precede the day of the Lord . But it does not precede the day of Christ .
Hence the saints in Thessalonica might well be troubled if the day of the Lord had set in,
and they had not been previously gathered together to meet the Lord in the air in the day
of Christ, as had been promised ( 1 Thess. 4:16 , 17 ; 2 Thess. 2:1 ).
f
This is not the popular teaching, but it is the truth of God. Popular theology is very
different. It says, 'That day cannot come until the world`s conversion comes.¨ The
Scripture says it cannot come until the apostasy shall have come. Popular theology says
the world is not good enough yet for Christ to come. The Scripture teaches that the world
is not yet bad enough! The Thessalonian saints believed their teachers, and are an
* Not 'the day of Christ,¨ as in A.V. The R.V. and the Ancient MSS. and Critical Texts
read correctly 'the day of the Lord.¨
f See Four Prophetic Periods , by the same author and publisher.
example for all time for holiness of walk and for missionary zeal. People to-day believe
their teachers, and all men see their works!
2. The Ellipsis of a LATTER CLAUSE , called Anantapodoton , i.e. , without apodosis
*
It is a hypothetical proposition without the consequent clause.
Gen. 30:27 . 'And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine
eyes [ remain with me: for ] I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me
for thy sake.¨
2 Sam. 2:27 . 'And Joab said [ to Abner ], As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken [
the words which gave the provocation (see verse 14 )], surely then in the morning the
people had gone up ( marg. gone away ) every one from following his brother.¨
2 Sam. 5:6–8 . The Ellipsis here involves a retranslation of this difficult passage:
'And the king and his men went to Jerusalem, unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the
land: Which spake unto David, saying,
f
Thou shalt not come in hither, for (or but ,
, kee eem , see Ps. 1:3 , 4 ; for,` Prov. 23:18 ; Lam. 5:22 ) the blind and lame shall
drive thee away (so Coverdale) by saying ( , laim r , saying , margin), David
shall not come in hither. Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the
city of David. And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up by the Tsinnor,
|
and
smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, who hate David`s soul ( R.V. margin);
he shall be chief or captain , because they (the blind and the lame) had said, He shall not
come into the house ( A.V. margin),¨ or citadel.
The Ellipsis is supplied from 1 Chron. 11:6 ; and thus, with one or two simple
emendations, the whole passage is made clear.
It would seem that the citadel was so strong that the Jebusites put their blind and lame
there, who defended it by merely crying out, 'David shall not come in hither.¨
Matt. 6:25 . 'Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? [and if God
vouchsafes the greater, how much more that which is less ].¨
Matt. 8:9 . 'For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to
this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do
* Apodosis , a giving back again: hence, it is the consequent clause.
The former clause is called the Protasis ( , to stretch before ).
f Both the A.V. and the R.V. transpose the following two sentences.
| ( batsinnor ) in , or by the Tsinnor , which was an underground watercourse,
recently discovered by Sir Charles Warren. See his Recovery of Jerusalem , pp. 107, 109,
124.
this, and he doeth it [ how much more art Thou, who art God, able to command, or to
speak the word only that my servant may recover ].¨
Mark 11:32 . 'But if we shall say, Of men: [ what will happen to us? ] for, they feared
the people.¨ Or we may supply, ' it will not be wise .¨
Luke 2:21 . 'And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the
child [ then they circumcised him, and ] his name was called JESUS .¨
John 3:2 . 'Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do
these miracles which thou doest, except God be with him: [ therefore am I come to thee,
that thou mayest teach me the way of salvation ].¨
John 6:62 . ' What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was
before?¨
Here the Apodosis is entirely wanting. The Greek reads simply 'If then ye should see
the Son of man ascending up where he was before?¨ The thought is the same as in John
3:12 : 'If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell
you of heavenly things?¨ So that the apodosis may be supplied thus, ' will ye believe
then? ¨ or, ' ye will not be offended then,” i.e. , ye will marvel then not at My doctrine
but at your own unbelief of it. Compare 8:28 and 3:13 . (But see further under the figure
of Aposiopesis ).
Rom. 9:22–24 . Here we have a remarkable anantapodoton . The conclusion of the
argument is omitted. It begins with 'if¨ (verse 22 ), and the apodosis must be supplied at
the end of verse 24 from verse 20 , i.e. , if God chooses to do this or that ' who art thou
that repliest against God? ¨ What have you to say?
Or, indeed, we may treat it as the Ellipsis of a prior member, in which case verse 22
would commence '[ what reply hast thou to make ], if God, willing to show his wrath,¨
etc.
Jas. 2:13 . 'For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy;
and mercy rejoiceth against judgment [ to him that hath showed mercy ].¨
2 Pet. 2:4 . The apodosis is wanting here, but it is difficult to supply it without
breaking the argument; which is, 'If God spared not the angels that sinned,¨ neither will
he spare the false prophets and teachers , mentioned in verse 1 .
It is deferred till verse 12 , where we have it:they 'shall utterly perish in their own
corruption.¨
3. When the COMPARISON is wanting. This is a kind of anantapodoton
Rom. 7:3 . In verses 2 and 3 the hypothesis is given in which the husband dies, while
in verse 4 the fact to be illustrated is the case in which the wife dies. Death ending the
power of the marriage-law in each case.
At the end of verse 3 , therefore, the other hypothesis must be supplied (mentally if
not actually):
'If her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though
she be married to another man [ and I need not say that if she be dead, she is, of course,
free from that law ]. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also have died to the law through the
body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who is raised from the
dead,¨ i.e. , God`s people have died in Christ; and, on the other side of death, have risen
with Christ, and are united to Him. Thus being dead with Christ, the Law has no longer
any dominion over them, and they are free to be united to another, 'being dead to that
wherein we were held¨ (verse 6 , margin, and, R.V. ). Compare the following Scriptures
on this important doctrine: Rom. 8:2 ; 6:111 ; Gal. 2:19 ; 5:18 ; 6:14 ; Col. 2:14 ; 3:3 ;
1 Pet. 2:24 . This figure comes under the head of Rhetoric, and is then called Enthymema
( q.v. ).
1 Tim. 1:3 , 4 . 'As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into
Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither
give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly
edifying which is in faith [ so I repeat my charge, that thou remain at Ephesus, etc. ]¨
2 Tim. 2:20 . 'In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also
of wood and of earth, and, some to honour; and some to dishonour: [ so in the great
house of the church there are not only the elect saints, which are the vessels of honour,
but there are the impious and reprobate, who are the vessels of dishonour ].¨ Therefore
the admonition follows, in verse 21 , to purge ourselves from these; i.e. , not from the
vessels of gold and silver, or wood and earth, but from persons . Still less does it say we
are to purge the persons or the assembly! Each one is to 'purge himself,¨ not the others.
We now come to the second great division.
B. RELATIVE ELLIPSIS:
Where the omitted word must be supplied from the words actually related to it and
employed in the context itself.
I. Where the omitted Word is supplied from a COGNATE Word occurring in the
Immediate Context
1. Where the NOUN is suggested by the VERB
Lev. 4:2 . 'If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of
the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done.¨
Here the verb 'shall sin¨ supplies the noun 'sins,¨ i.e. , ' concerning sins which
ought not to be done.¨
The R.V. evades the difficulty by a freer translation. But the correct supply of the
Ellipsis enables us to retain the literal translation.
Num. 11:14 . 'I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for
me.¨
Here the noun is latent in the verb, and is naturally supplied by it thus:'I am not
able to bear the burden of all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.¨ The word
'it¨ does not refer to the People, but to the burden of them.
In verse 17 it is translated fully.
2 Kings 17:14 . 'Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like
to the neck of their fathers,¨ i.e. , like to the hardness of the necks of their fathers.
Ps. 13:3 ( 4 ). 'Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the death,¨ i.e. , the sleep of death.
Ps. 76:11 . ' Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God,¨ i.e. , pay your vows .
Ps. 107:41 . 'And maketh him families like a flock.¨
Lit., maketh like a flock the families.
The two parallel lines are thus completed by supplying the Ellipsis:
'Yet setteth he the poor on high from (or, after) affliction,
And maketh like a flock the families [ of the afflicted ].¨
Hos. 9:4 . 'They shall not offer wine to the LORD , ¨ i.e. , wine offerings . As in A.V.
Gal. 4:24 . 'Which things are an allegory: for these [ two women ] are the two
covenants; the one, indeed, from the mount Sinai, which bringeth forth [ children ] into
bondage, which is Hagar.¨ The apodosis or conclusion is suspended till verse 26 . 'But
Jerusalem which is above is the free [ woman ], who is the mother of us all.¨ In verse 25 ,
it must be noted that the word 'this¨ is the article , which is neuter, while 'Hagar¨ is
feminine. , therefore, must agree with some neuter word, which must be supplied,
( onoma ) name:'For this [ name ] Hagar is (or, denotes) Mount Sinai
in Arabia.¨ It is a fact that in Arabia the word Hagar (which means a stone ) is the name
for Mount Sinai.
2. Where the VERB is to be supplied from the NOUN
1 Sam. 13:8 . 'And he tarried seven days, according to the time that Samuel [ had
appointed ].¨
1 Chron. 17:18 . 'What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant?¨
i.e. , the honour put upon thy servant.
Ps. 94:10 . 'He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man
knowledge, shall not he know? ¨
Compare verse 9 , where we have similar questions.
Hos. 1:2 . 'Go, take thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms.¨
The sense, as we see from verses 3 , 6 , and 8 , must be 'and [ beget ] children,¨ etc.
Micah 7:3 . 'The prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward.¨
Here the A.V. supplies the Ellipsis by repeating the previous verb. The R.V. supplies
it with the verb ' is ready ,¨ i.e. , 'the judge is ready for a reward.¨
But the verb is latent in the noun ('judge¨) and is to be supplied from it, thus:
'The prince asketh, and the judge judgeth for a reward.¨
The subject of the former sentence must be supplied from the latter, and then the two
lines will read thus:
'The prince asketh for [ a reward ],
And the judge [ judgeth ] for a reward.¨
Rom. 12:6–8 . 'Having then gifts differing according to the grace given to us, whether
prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of the faith [ given or dealt to us ,
verse 3 ].¨ The verbs must also be supplied in the following, exhortations:'Or ministry,
[ let us be diligent ] in the ministry: or he that teacheth, [ let him be faithful ] in teaching;
or he who exhorteth, [ let him employ himself ] in exhortation: he Who distributeth, [ let
him distribute ] with simplicity; he who presideth, [ let him preside ] with care; he that
showeth mercy, [ let him show it ] with cheerfulness.¨
In the A.V. and R.V. , some are supplied and some are not.
Rom. 13:7 . 'Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due , etc.¨
Here the verb to be due is latent in the noun dues .
1 Cor. 1:26 . 'For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called .¨
Here the thought or subject is the 'calling¨ the act of calling, i.e. , not the persons
who are called, but the persons who call. The following verses go on to explain the
manner in which God calls: viz., by choosing the weak and the base to confound the wise
and the mighty. So in like manner He had chosen weak instruments like Paul, Apollos
and Cephas to call the saints in Corinth, and to produce such wondrous results, in order
'that no flesh should glory in His presence.¨
The Ellipsis would in this case be better supplied thus:'Not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble call you .¨
2 Cor. 5:17 . 'Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.¨
Here the verb substantive is supplied twice, but the verb created must be supplied
from the noun 'creature¨:'If any man be in Christ, [ he is created ] a new creature.¨
Or else there is only one Ellipsis, and the sentence reads on, thus: 'If any man be in
Christ a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new.¨
Eph. 3:16 .'[ Praying ] that he would grant you,¨ from 'bowing my knees¨ in verse 14
.
II. Where the omitted Word is to be supplied from a CONTRARY Word
Gen. 33:10 . 'And Jacob [ refused and ] said, etc.¨
This word is latent in the contrary words which follow.
Gen. 33:15 . 'And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are
with me. And he [ Jacob ] said, What needeth it? [ Thou shalt not leave any ],¨ etc.
Gen. 49:4 . 'Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel.¨
R.V. marg. , 'Bubbling over as water, thou shalt not have the excellency.¨
The word rendered 'unstable¨ is ( pachaz ), to bubble up and overflow, to flow
down like water. (So Sam. and Syr.). The Ellipsis is supplied from the contrary words,
'Flowing down like water [ it shall pass away ], thou shalt not have the excellency.¨
This follows on verse 3 . 'Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning
of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power, with rapidity, like
water, [ all this shall pass away ], thou shalt not have the excellency!¨
And so it came to pass. See 1 Chron. 5:1 .
Judges 5:6 . Here, because the Ellipsis has not been observed, liberties have been
taken in the translation. The Heb. is literally 'In the days of Jael the high-ways ceased¨
(as in verse 7 ).
The A.V. and R.V. both render, 'The high-ways were unoccupied.¨ The R.V. tries to
preserve the correctness of translation by giving in the margin ' the caravans ceased .¨
But the Ellipsis when supplied by the contrary words which follow makes all clear:
'In the days of Jael, the highways ceased [ to be safe ], and the travellers walked through
by-ways.¨
Ps. 7:11 . 'God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.¨
Ps. 65:8 . 'Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to rejoice.¨
This does not mean the outgoings of the evening as well as the morning. The contrary
word must be supplied, viz., '[ the incomings or return ] of the evening.¨
Ps. 66:20 . 'Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy
from me.¨ This is not 'my prayer from me,¨ but 'my prayer [ from himself ].¨
Ps. 84:10 . 'For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand [ elsewhere , or in any
other place ].¨
Prov. 19:1 . 'Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than [ the rich, that is ]
perverse in his lips, and is a fool.¨
Here the A.V. has supplied ' he that is .¨ It is necessary merely to define the person
as rich to complete the contrast which is clearly implied.
Prov. 24:17 , 18 . 'Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be
glad when he stumbleth: lest the LORD see it , and it displease him, and he turn away his
wrath from him [ to thee ].¨
Without the supply of this Ellipsis ' to thee ,¨ there is no sense in the words.
Prov. 28:16 . 'The prince that lacketh understanding [ and ] also a great oppressor [
shall cut off his days ], but he that hateth covetousness, shall prolong his days.¨
Jer. 18:15 . 'My people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and
they have caused them to stumble in their ways [ so that they forsake ] the ancient paths,¨
etc.
Dan. 3:15 . Here the Ellipsis is so patent that it is supplied. 'Now if ye be ready that at
what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer,
and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [ well
and good ].¨ Compare Luke 13:9 .
Luke 13:9 . 'And if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then , after that thou shalt cut it
down.¨
Here the omitted verb is suggested by the contrary verb that is given. Thus: 'If it bear
fruit [ thou shalt leave it to stand , or shalt not cut it down ], and if not, after that, thou
shalt cut it down.¨
See further under the figure of Aposiopesis .
Rom. 6:17 . 'But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have
obeyed,¨ etc.
Here the word ( de ), but , in the latter clause implies and points us to the word
( men ) which is omitted in the former clause. The two go together in a sentence of this
character, and the employment of the one reveals the omission of the other. It should be
rendered:'But God be thanked that [ although ] ye were the servants of sin, yet ye have
obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you.¨
This is clearly the sense, for we are not to thank God that we were the servants of sin,
but that, though we were, we are so no longer.
*
1 Cor. 7:19 . 'Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping
of the commandments of God [ is everything ],¨ i.e. , alone avails.
*
For the importance of this word ( men ), although , compare 1 Pet. 4:6 , where both
the A.V. and R.V. ignore it, though it is there in the Greek, thus translating the words:
'For this cause was the gospel preached to them that are dead also, that they might be
judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.¨ Surely, it
cannot be that the gospel was preached in order that men might be judged! And it is
unaccountable why the A.V. and R.V. should both altogether ignore the important word
( men ), although , and leave it untranslated!
They have both created an Ellipsis in the EngliSh, though there is none in the Greek,
( hina krith si men ), 'in order that, though they might be
condemned according to the will of men
a
as to the flesh, yet they might live (
z si de ) according to the will of God, as to the spirit.¨ That is to say, the gospel was
preached to those who had since died, not 'that they might be judged¨ thus, but 'that
THOUGH they might be judged.¨ (See a pamphlet on The Spirits in Prison , by the same
author and publisher.)
2 Cor. 8:14 . 'But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a
supply for their want, that [ at another time ] their abundance also may be a supply for
your want, that there may be equality.¨
1 Tim. 4:3 . 'Forbidding to marry [ and commanding ] to abstain from meats.¨ (See
under Zeugma .)
III. Where the omitted Word is to be supplied from ANALOGOUS , or RELATED
Words
Gen. 50:23 . 'The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon
Joseph`s knees.¨ Margin, borne . R.V. , born .
But the Ellipsis of relation is:'[ and educated ] at Joseph`s knees.¨
Exod. 13:15 . 'Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all [ beasts ],¨ etc.
Lev. 21:4 . 'But he being a chief man [ a priest ] among his people, shall not defile
himself [ for his wife ] to profane himself.¨
See verse 14 ; and Ezek. 24:16 , 17 .
Deut. 15:12 . 'And if thy brother, [ or thy sister ], an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew
woman, be sold unto thee,¨ etc.
Ps. 142:4 . 'I looked on my right hand, and beheld [ on my left hand ].¨
Isa. 30:17 . 'One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye
[ all ] flee.¨
Isa. 38:12 . 'I have cut off as a weaver my life,¨ i.e. , I have cut off my life as a weaver
[ his thread ].
Matt. 3:4 . 'And a leathern girdle [ was bound ] about his loins.¨ In John 7:39 , the
verb given is rightly supplied in the A.V. : 'For the Holy Spirit was not yet given .¨
Rom. 14:21 . ' It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby
thy brother stumbleth,¨ i.e. , nor to do any thing whereby, etc.
The point is not merely abstaining from the use of anything that other people abuse,
but from that which is a cause of stumbling to the weak conscience of the brother in
Christ, who thought it wrong to eat or drink that which has been offered to an idol.
Rom. 16:16 . 'Salute one another with an holy kiss.¨
( alleelous ) is masculine, and the undoubted and
overwhelming testimony of the Primitive Church, necessitate an Ellipsis ; which must
certainly be understood, if not actually supplied. It was, and is, contrary to all Eastern
usage for women (who were always covered, 1 Cor. 11:5 ) and men to kiss each other
indiscriminately. The Ellipsis understood is:'Salute one another [ men and women
respectively ] with a holy kiss.¨
The Apostolical Constitutions (Cent. III.) say:'Let the men salute one another
(masc.), and the women one another (fem.), with a kiss.¨
In this sense are to be understood also 1 Cor. 16:20 ; 2 Cor. 13:12 ; 1 Thess. 5:26 ; 1
Pet. 5:14 .
*
IV. Where the omitted Word is contained in another Word, the One combining the two
Significations
This has been called METALEPSIS : but this is hardly correct; for Metalepsis ( q.v. ) is a
compound Metonomy , and a Metonomy has to do only with nouns . It has also been
called SYNTHETON , or SYNTHESIS (Latin, COMPOSITIO ), which signifies the placing of
two things together. (See under the Figure of Metonymy ). It has also a Latin name: '
CONCISA LOCUTIO ,¨ i.e. , a concise form of speech, or abbreviated expression.
It is also called CONSTRUCTIO PRÆGNANS , when the verb thus derives an additional
force.
Gen. 12:15 . 'And the woman was taken into Pharaoh`s house.¨
Here the figure is translated, for ( laqach ) signifies to catch , or capture . ( Gen.
14:12 . Num. 21:25 . Deut. 3:14 ; 29:7 . 1 Sam. 19:14 , 20 . Isa. 52:5 . Jer. 48:46 ). And
here the two senses are combined (take, in the sense of catch , and take, in the sense of
lead ), to take possession of , and lead into, i.e. , 'The woman was taken [ and brought ]
into Pharaoh`s house.¨
See for a similar use, seized , or caught and led , or taken and brought , etc., Gen.
15:9 , 10 . Ex. 18:2 ; 25:2 ; 27:20 . Num. 19:2 . Est. 2:16 .
Gen. 43:33 . 'And the men marvelled one at another.¨ They did not marvel one at
another, but, marvelling at what Joseph did, they looked one at another. The two senses
are contained in the one verb, thus:'And the men marvelled [ and looked ] one at
another.¨
* For an exhaustive treatment of the whole subject, see a work, entitled Salute One
Another , by the Rev. Jas. Neil, M.A. Lond.: Simpkin and Marshall.
In verse 34 , the two senses are translated both in A.V. and R.V. , 'and he took and
sent messes unto them from before him.¨ For this use of the verb ( nahsah ) to take ,
see also Ex. 18:12 ; 25:2 ; 28:20 , etc.
Ex. 23:18 , and 34:25 . Here the Hebrew ( zavach ) to sacrifice , or slay , is not
literally translated, but the two senses, slay and pour out (the blood) are combined in the
one word 'offer.¨
The Heb. ( al ) is also in consequence translated with , instead of upon . The result
is that there is no sense in the translation. The filling up of the Ellipsis preserves the
literal signification of the other words as well as the sense of the verse, thus:'Thou
shalt not slay [ and pour out ] the blood of my sacrifice upon leavened bread.¨
Lev. 17:3 . 'What man soever there be of the house of Israel that killeth an ox, or
lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, and bringeth it not unto the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation . . blood shall be imputed unto that man . . that
man shall be cut off from among his people.¨
This appears to be quite at variance with Deut. 12:15 , 21 , which expressly declares,
'Thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.¨
The difficulty is at once removed by supplying the second sense which is included in
the same word, 'that killeth [ in sacrifice ].¨
Num. 25:1 . Here, through not seeing the Ellipsis , ( el ) which means to , is
translated with .
'And the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab,¨ i.e. , they
'began to commit whoredom [ and to join themselves ] to the daughters of Moab.¨
Josh. 8:29 . 'Joshua commanded that they should raise thereon a great heap of stones
that remaineth unto this day.¨
Here, as well as in 10:27 , the Ellipsis is supplied.
2 Chron. 32:1 . 'And thought to win them for himself.¨
Here ( l’vikam eylayo ) means (as given in the margin) to break them up
, but this being 'for himself,¨ conveyed no sense; so the translation of the verb, which
means ' break up ,¨ was modified to ' win ,¨ in order to agree with the preposition ' for
.¨ But the correct supply of the Ellipsis makes the meaning clear, and enables us to retain
the literal sense of the verb:He 'encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to
break them up [ and annex them ] to himself,¨ or 'thought to rend them [ from the
kingdom of Judah, and annex them ] to himself.¨
Ezra 2:62 . Here the figure is translated. The Heb., as given in the margin, reads
literally, 'Therefore they were polluted from the priesthood.¨ This is translated,
'Therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.¨ But a more correct
translation of the figure would be: 'Therefore they were polluted [ and put ] from the
priesthood.¨
Ps. 21:12 . We have already noted the Ellipsis of the accusative in this verse, ' thine
arrows .¨ Now we have the Ellipsis , in the same verse, of the second signification of the
verb:'When thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy bowstrings [ and shoot them
] against their face.¨
Ps. 22:21 . 'Thou hast heard me [ and delivered me ], from the horns of the unicorns.¨
So Ps. 118:5 , where the Ellipsis is correctly supplied. See also Heb. verse 7 , below.
Ps. 55:18 . 'He hath delivered my soul in peace.¨ R.V. : 'He hath redeemed my soul in
peace.¨
The sense is obtained by supplying the Ellipsis 'He hath redeemed my soul [ and
set it ] in peace.¨
Ps. 63:8 . 'My soul followeth hard after thee.¨
Here to get the sense, the Heb. ( dahvqah ), which means to cleave, to stick
(see Gen. 2:24 . Deut. 28:60 . Ps. 119:31 . Lam. 4:4 ), is translated followeth hard , in
order to combine it with ( achareyach ) after thee . 'My soul followeth hard after
thee.¨ The supply of the Ellipsis makes the sense clear and retains the literal meaning of
the words, thus:'My soul cleaveth to [ and followeth ] after thee.¨
Ps. 66:14 . The Heb. is:'Which my lips have opened.¨ See margin. The A.V.
translates freely, 'Which my lips have uttered.¨ But the sense is:'Which ( vows ) my
lips have opened [ and vowed ].¨
Ps. 68:18 . 'Thou hast received gifts for men.¨ The Heb. is:'Thou hast received gifts
among men,¨ i.e. , 'Thou hast received [ and given ] gifts among men¨; compare Eph.
4:8 .
Ps. 73:27 . 'Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.¨
To make sense we must read:'Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring, [
departing ] from thee,¨ i.e. , 'Thou hast destroyed all them that practise idolatry,
departing from thee.¨
Ps. 89:39 . Here the Ellipsis is supplied. 'Thou hast profaned his crown [ by Casting it
] to the ground.¨
Ps. 104:22 . 'The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in
their dens.¨ The Heb. is:'And unto their dens ( ) they lie down,¨ i.e. ,
'The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, [ depart, and ] lay themselves down in
their dens.¨
Prov. 25:22 . The Heb. reads:'For coals of fire thou shalt receive upon his head,¨
i.e. , 'for coals of fire thou Shalt receive [ and place ] upon his head.¨
The verb ( chathah ) means to take hold of, to seize , spoken once of a person,
Isa. 52:5 ( 7 ), and elsewhere always of taking up fire or burning coals. See Isa. 30:14 .
Prov. 6:27 . I.e. , the coals of fire which thine enemy casts at thee, thou shalt take them
and put them upon his head: he will thus get what he intended for thee.
The 'burning coals¨ are put by Metonymy ( q.v. ) for cruel words and hard speeches
(see Prov. 16:27 ; 26:23 ).
Ps. 140:9 , 10 . But if thou doest good to him who uses cruel words of you, that will
burn him as coals of fire.
Matt. 4:5 . 'Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy city.¨ (
paralamban ) means to take and bring with one’s self, to join one’s self . There is no
equivalent for 'up.¨ The double sense of the verse must be supplied in the Ellipsis:
'Then the Devil taketh him with himself [ and leadeth ] him,¨ etc. So verse 8 and 27:27 .
The sense is sometimes completed by a second verb, Matt. 2:13 , 20 . John 19:16 . Acts
23:18 .
Matt. 5:23 . 'Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that
thy brother hath ought against thee¨; i.e. , 'if thou bring thy gift [ even thy sacrifice ] to
the altar.¨ An offering was the only gift that could be brought to an altar. In Lev. 2:1 , 2 ,
the Septuagint translates, 'If a soul bring a gift, a sacrifice, to the LORD , his gift shall
be,¨ etc., and thus supplies the explanatory words. To apply these words to the placing
money on the Lord`s Table is a perverse use of language.
Luke 4:1 , 2 . 'And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was
led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil.¨
The A.V. connects the forty days with the temptation: but we learn from Matt. 4:3
that it was not till after the forty days that the tempter came to Him, when He was hungry.
The words are elliptical, and are a concisa locutio , i.e. , an abbreviated expression, in
order that our thought may dwell on the fact of the leading , rather than on the fact of His
being there.
The Greek is:'He was being led by the Spirit into the wilderness, [ and was in the
wilderness ] forty days.¨
Luke 4:38 . 'And he arose out of the synagogue,¨ i.e. , 'And rising up [ he departed ]
out
*
of the synagogue, and entered into the house of Simon.¨ By this figure our attention
is directed to the fact which is important, viz., His rising up, and thus preventing any
comment on the miracle; rather than to the mere act of going out of the synagogue.
Luke 18:14 . 'I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the
other.¨
The Greek reads, 'This man went down to his house justified than the other,¨ but the
A.V. correctly supplies the disjunction ee ), when
following a positive assertion. The thought lies in the Heb. use of the word ( min ), Ps.
118:8 , 9 : ' It is better to trust in the LORD than [ i.e., and not ] to put confidence in man.
It is better to trust in the LORD than [ i.e., and not ] to put confidence in princes.¨ So
Jonah 4:3 . 'Now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to
die than [ i.e., and not ] to live.¨
So in the N.T., Heb. 11:25 : 'Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the People of
God, than [ i.e., and not ] to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.¨
So here the doctrine is that the Publican was justified and not the Pharisee. Not that
the Pharisee was justified a little, and the Publican was justified a little more! The parable
is wholly concerning justification (verse 9 ), and not a parable about the nature of prayer.
The manner of the prayer is merely the vehicle for the illustration of the truth.
*
Luke 19:44 . ( edaphizein )
signifies both to level to the ground , and to dash to the ground . In this last sense it
occurs in Ps. 137:9 . Hos. 10:14 ; LXX.
Luke 20:9 . 'A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and
went into a far country for a long time,¨ i.e. , 'he went into a far country, [ and remained
there ] a long time¨; or, we may supply, ' and was absent for a long time.¨
Luke 21:38 . 'And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, for
to hear him.¨
from , supported by the Critical Texts of Tischendorf,
Tregelles, Alford, and Westcott and Hort. It was altered later by some copyist who did
not see the force of the figure, so as to make it agree better with the single verb
employed.
* Ignorance of the doctrine of justification, it may have been, or oversight as to the point
of the parable, that gave rise to the difficulties presented by the Text, which was altered
and glossed in various ways in order to
, the MSS , with T.Tr. marg. ( i.e. , 'This man
went down to his house justified . or was it then the other, &c.¨). The MSS. BL have
, with L.Tr.WH.Alf. ( i.e. , passing over the other).
LXX. The Septuagint Version (325 B.C. ).
( orthriz ) does not mean to come early, but to rise up early , and the
sense is:'And all the people rising early in the morning, [ came ] to him in the temple.¨
John 1:23 . 'He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,¨ etc.: i.e. , 'I [ am
he of whom it is written ] the voice of one crying in the wilderness.¨
John 6:21 . 'Then they willingly received him into the ship.¨ Here the figure is hidden
by a free translation. The Greek is:'They were willing, then, to receive him into the
ship, [ and they did receive him ].¨
Acts 7:9 . 'And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt,¨ i.e. , 'And
the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph [ and sent him away ] into Egypt.
( apodid mi ) does not mean merely to sell , but to put away by giving
over , whether for money or for any other return.
Acts 20:30 . 'Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to
draw away disciples after them,¨ i.e. , 'speaking perverse things [ and seeking ] to draw
away.¨
Acts 23:24 . 'And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe
unto Felix the governor.¨ The Greek is, lit.,:' ( dias z ) to save through , ¨
i.e. , 'and keep him in safety [ and bring him ] unto Felix.¨
Here, by the omission of the verb to bring , which is required by the preposition, our
attention is called to the fact which is of greater importance, viz. , the preservation of Paul
from his enemies.
Gal. 5:4 . 'Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by
the law; ye are fallen from grace.¨
The Greek is: kateergeetheete apo tou Christou
); and the R.V. translates it:'Ye are severed from Christ,¨ and puts in the margin,
Greek ' brought to nought .¨ But we may take the Greek literally, if we put the margin in
the Text and supply the Ellipsis correctly:
'Ye are made void [ and cut off ] from Christ.¨
Eph. 4:8 . 'When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and, [ receiving ]
gifts, gave them to men.¨ See Ps. 68:18 above.
2 Tim. 1:10 . 'And hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.¨
Here, following the order of the Greek, we may read:'And brought to light, [ and
procured for us ] life and immortality through the gospel.¨ By the Figure of Hendiadys (
q.v. ), that which is procured is immortal life, showing us that the emphasis is on the
word ' immortal .¨
2 Tim. 2:26 . 'And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who
are taken captive by him at his will.¨
Here both the figure and the sense are lost by defective translation. The margin tells
us that the words ' recover themselves ¨ are used to render the Greek ' awake ,¨ i.e. ,
'lest they may awake [ and be delivered ] out of the snare of the devil.¨
The structure of this Scripture makes the whole passage clear:
Subversion .
A 14 . The aim of the enemy 'Subversion¨ (
B ).
C 16 . Exhortation. 'Shun.¨
D 17 , 18 . Illustration. 'Canker.¨
E 18 . Effect on others. 'Overthrown.¨
E 19 . Effect on Foundation. 'Standeth sure.¨
D 20 , 21 . Illustration. 'Vessels.¨
C 22 , 23 . Exhortation. 'Flee . . Avoid.¨
B 24 , 25 . The Servant ( ).
A ).
Then by expanding this last member A , we see the meaning of verses 25 , 26 :
A. The aim of the enemy .
A a 25 . 'Lest God should give them repentance¨
b 25 . 'Unto ( ) the knowledge of the truth,¨
a 26 . 'And lest, being taken alive by him, [ by God , as in 'a¨] they may
awake [ and be delivered ] from the devil`s snare¨
b 26 . 'Unto ( ) his [ God’s ] will ( i.e. , to do the will of God ).¨
Here in 'a¨ and ' a ¨ we have the action of God in delivering, while in 'b¨ and ' b ¨
we have the object for which the captive is delivered.
2 Tim. 4:18 . 'And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve
me unto his heavenly kingdom:¨ i.e. , 'preserve me , [ and bring me ].¨ Thus fixing our
thought rather on the wondrous preservation than on the act of bringing .
Heb. 5:3 . 'And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to
offer [ sacrifices ] for sins.¨
Heb. 5:7 . 'And was heard [ and delivered ( apo
tees eulabeias ). (Only here and Heb. 12:28 ). See Ps. 22:21 , above.
Heb. 9:16 , 17 . 'For where a testament is , there must also of necessity be the death of
the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at
all whilst the testator liveth.¨
It is clear that it is a 'covenant¨ to which these words refer, and not a testamentary
document. The reference to the 'first¨ covenant at Sinai mentioned in the verses which
immediately follow, decides this for us. See Ex. 24:58 .
And the mention also of the sprinkling of the blood shows that sacrifices are referred
to.
The word translated 'testator¨ is the participle: ( diathemenos ), and
means appointed .
*
Its use shows that the sacrifice by which the covenant was made is
really contained in the word.
And the word ( diatheekee ) everywhere means covenant .
So that, in accordance with these Scriptures and facts, we may translate verses 1618
, as follows:
'For where a covenant is , there must also of necessity be the death of him (or that)
which makes [ the sacrifice ]. For a covenant is of force over
*
dead [ victims or
sacrifices ]; otherwise it is never held to be of force while he who is the appointed [
* Participle of ( diatitheemi ), to appoint (see Luke 22:29 ). 'And I appoint
unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me.¨ Acts 3:25 : 'The covenant
which God made with our fathers.¨ Heb. 8:10 : 'This is the covenant which I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord.¨ So also Heb. 10:16 . These are
the only places where the verb occurs, except this passage.
means over , as marking the ground or foundation of the action. See Matt. 24:47 .
Luke 12:44 ; 15:7 ( 7 ), 10 ; 19:41 ; 23:38 . Acts 8:2 . 1 Thess. 3:7 . Rev. 11:10 ; 18:11 . It
is translated, 'upon¨ and 'on,¨ etc., many times; but 'after¨ only here and Luke 1:59 .
sacrifice ] is alive. Where-upon neither the first [ covenant ] was dedicated without
blood,¨ etc.
Heb. 10:23 . 'Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,¨ i.e. , 'Having our
hearts sprinkled [ and so being delivered ] from an evil conscience.¨
1 Pet. 3:20 . 'Were saved by water,¨ i.e. , 'Were preserved [ and delivered ] by
water.¨
Rev. 13:3 . 'And all the world wonde ( opis ) is an adverb
of place or time, and means back, behind, after (see Rev. 1:10 ; 12:15 ). It cannot,
therefore, be taken in connection simply With wondered. But the following is the
sense:
'And all the world wondered [ and followed ] after the beast.¨
Rev. 20:2 . 'And bound him a thousand years,¨ i.e. , 'And bound him [ and kept him
bound ] a thousand years.¨
C. THE ELLIPSIS OF REPETITION:
Where the omitted word or words is, or are to be supplied out of the preceding or
following clause, in order to complete the sense.
This Ellipsis is either simple or complex.
Simple , when anything is to be repeated separately, either out of what precedes or
follows.
Complex , when two things are to be repeated; one out of a preceding clause into the
following clause; and at the same time another out of the following into the preceding
clause.
I. Simple
1. Where the Omission is to be supplied by REPEATING a word or words out of the
PRECEDING CLAUSE
( a ) NOUNS and PRONOUNS
Ex. 12:4 . 'Let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it,” i.e., the lamb from
verse 3 .
1 Kings 1:6 . 'And [ Haggith ] bare him after Absalom.¨
2 Kings 3:25 . 'Only in Kir-haraseth left they the stones thereof.¨
The Heb. reads (see margin):'Until he left the stones thereof in Kir-haraseth.¨
The Ellipsis is to be supplied from verse 24 . 'Until in Kir-haraseth [ only ] they left
the stones thereof [ to the Moabites ].¨
Ps. 12:6 , ( 7 ). 'The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of
earth, purified seven times.¨
Here there is an important Ellipsis . It has been a great difficulty with many to think
that the LORD`S words should require purifying, especially after the declaration in the
first part of the verse, that they are 'pure.¨ What increases the difficulty is the fact that
the word for earth is ( eretz ), the earth: i.e. , the dry land or the world as created, as
in Gen. 1:1 : 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth¨ ( , eretz ). It is
generally taken as though it were used of a crucible made of earth or clay; but in this case
it would be ( adamah ), ground, soil, clay; and not eretz , the whole earth;
Moreover, the Lamed prefixed ( ) means to or pertaining to . It is the sign of the dative
case and not of the genitive. The Revisers note this and render it:'As silver tried in a
furnace on the earth,¨ as though it was important for us to note that it is not in or under
the earth! But this does not touch the real difficulty. This is removed only by correctly
supplying the Ellipsis , and repeating the noun 'words¨ from the beginning of the verse.
Then, all is clear, and we not only may, but must then take the rest of the words in
their literal sense. Thus:'The words of the LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a
furnace; [ words ] of the earth: (or pertaining to the earth), purified seven times.¨
That is to say the words in which Jehovah has been pleased to make His revelation,
are not the words of angels ( 1 Cor. 13:1 ), nor the 'unspeakable words of Paradise¨ ( 2
Cor. 12:4 ), but they were words pertaining to man in this worldhuman wordsbut
refined and purified as Silver. Hence, in taking human language, there are many words
which the Holy Spirit has not chosen, and which cannot be found in the Scriptures:
Some are exalted to an altogether higher meaning as
( aretee ), as man had used it, meant merrily excellence of any kind,
manhood, nobility, valour, prowess . But, in the Scriptures, it is used in the
higher sense of glory ( Hab. 3:3 ), praise ( Isa. 42:8 , 12 ; 43:21 ; 53:7 ). And
so in the New Testament, Phil. 4:8 ; 1 Pet. 2:9 ; 2 Pet. 1:3 , 5 .
( eethos ) was only the haunt of an animal, but it became custom, morals,
character .
Some are used in a totally different sense from that in which they had ever been used
before.
( choreeg ) was simply to furnish or lead a chorus , but it was changed
to furnish or supply . 1 Pet. 4:11 : 'My God shall supply all your need.¨
( euangelion ) was merely the dispatch containing the news, but it was
used in the new sense of the gospel of God.
( ekkleesia ) was used by the Greeks of any assembly , but especially of
citizens, or as we should say of a selection from them, 'burgesses.¨ The word
means an assembly of those called out, an elect assembly .
Hence it is used in the Septuagint of Israel as called out from and as being an
election from the nations.
Then, it was used of the congregation worshipping at the Tabernacle as
distinguished from the rest of the people.
In this sense it is used in the Old Testament, the Gospels, and partly in the
Acts. But in the Pauline Epistles the Holy Spirit uses the word and exalts it to a
far higher meaning; viz. , of the special election from both Jews and Gentiles,
forming them as members of Christ`s Mystical Body into a new ecclesia or
assembly. This is a sense in which it had never before been used.
*
( s teeria ) was merely preservation or deliverance from danger, but in
the Scriptures it is 'the salvation of God.¨
( paracleetos ) was merely the legal assistant or helper . In the New
Testament there is one Paracleetos within us that we may not Sin ( John 14:16
, 26 ; 15:26 ; 16:7 ); and another Paracleetos with the Father if we do sin ( 1
John 2:1 ).
( skandalon ) was used only of the trigger of a trap to catch animals;
but in the New Testament it is used in a new and moral sense, of that which
causes any one to be caught or made to trip.
Other words were coined by the Holy Spirit Himself, and cannot be found in any
human writings.
( skandaliz ) is a new word altogether. It is never used in Classical
Greek, it means to cause to stumble or fall, to give cause of offence .
( epiousios ) is a word used only by our Lord ( Matt. 6:11 and Luke
11:3 ) in the Lord`s Prayer, where it is rendered 'daily.¨
* See The Mystery , by the same author and publisher.
Hence the difficulty in interpreting it, as there is no usage to help us. It is a
question, therefore, of etym epi ), upon ,
prefixed to the participle of a verb. But what verb? It cannot be the participle of
the verb ( eimi ), to be , for its participle is ( ousa ), and the
combination of . It must be ( eimi ), to
go or come ( iousa
, as used by our Lord. The word means, therefore,
coming upon or going upon , and would refer either to bread for our going or
journeying upon , or to the bread coming or descending upon us from heaven, as
the manna descended and came down upon Israel ( John 6:32 , 33 ).
Hence it combines the two ideas of heavenly and daily , inasmuch as the
manna not only came down from heaven, but did so every day, and on the
strength of this they journeyed. It is a word therefore of great fulness of meaning.
That the Ellipsis exists in Psalm 12:6 (which verse we are considering), and may be
thus supplied, is shown further from the structure of the Psalm:
A 1 . Decrease of good.
B a 2 . Man`s words (Falsehood).
b 3 , 4 . Their end: 'cut off.¨
C 5 . Oppression.
D 5 . Sighing.
D 5 . I will arise (for sighing).
C 5 . I will deliver (from oppression).
B a 6 . Jehovah`s words (Truth).
b 7 . Their end: (preserved).
A 8 . Increase of bad.
Here in B , Jehovah`s words are placed in contrast with man`s words in B: in a and a ,
their character respectively: and in b and b their end .
Finally, we may expand a (verse 6 ) as follows:
a c The words of Jehovah are pure words.
d As silver tried in a furnace:
c [ Words ] pertaining to the earth.
d Purified seven times.
Here in c and c we have 'words,¨ and in d and d we have the purifying of the silver.
Ps. 68:18 . 'Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast
received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among
them , ¨ i.e. , among or with those rebels who have been taken captives.
Ecc. 12:11 . 'The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters
of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.¨
Here, instead of repeating 'the words¨ from the first clause, the A.V. inserts the word
' by ,¨ thus producing incoherence in the passage. The structure shows us at once how the
Ellipsis should be filled up.
a The words of the wise
b are as goads,
b and as tent-pegs well fixed,
a are [ the words ] of the masters of the assemblies.
Here, in a and a , we have ' words ,¨ and in b and b , what they are compared to.
In 'a¨ we have the words of those which act like goads, inciting to action, or probing
the conscience; while in a we have the words of those who are the leaders of assemblies,
propounding firmly established principles and settled teaching. ' Both of these (not '
which ¨) are given by the same shepherd.¨
That is, as a chief shepherd gives to one servant a goad for his use, and to another a
stake, or 'tent-peg,¨ to fix firmly in the ground, so the God of all wisdom, by the Chief
Shepherd in glory, gives to His servants 'words,¨ different in their tendency and action,
but conducing to the same end, showing the one source from which the various gifts are
received. He gives to some of His under-shepherds 'words¨ which act as goads; while He
gives to others 'words¨ which 'stablish, strengthen and settle.¨
Isa. 40:13 . 'Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD , or being his counsellor hath
taught him?¨
Here the Ellipsis is arbitrarily supplied by the word ' being ,¨ which necessitates a
departure from the Heb., which is given in the margin, ' made him understand .¨
The Ellipsis is correctly supplied thus:'Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD ;
or [ who ] as His counsellor hath made him to understand?¨
Amos 3:12 . 'As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece
of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of
a bed, and in Damascus in a couch,¨ i.e. , 'and [ in the corner of ] a couch.¨
Mal. 2:14 . 'Yet ye say, Wherefore?¨ i.e. , from verse 13 , wherefore [ does He not
regard our offering , etc.]?
Acts 7:15 , 16 . 'So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, and
were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum
of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.¨
Here the article tou ), of the , rendered ' the father ( en ), in ,
according to Tischendorf, Tregelles, Westcott and Hort, and the R.V.
There must have been three purchases altogether, of which two are recorded in
Genesis, and one in Acts 7
(1) According to Acts 7:16 , Abraham bought a sepulchre from the sons of Hamor.
There is no record of this purchase in Genesis. But Stephen, 'full of the Holy Ghost,¨
supplies the information. It was purchased of Hamor, the son of Shechem, for 'a sum of
money.¨ Shechem was the place where God first appeared to Abraham in Canaan ( Gen.
12:6 ), and where he first built an altar (verse 7 ). Here it was that (according to Acts 7:16
) he bought 'a sepulchre.¨
The original Shechem must have been an important person to have given his name to
a place; and it was of his son that Abraham bought it.
(2) According to Gen. 23 , Abraham purchased a field with trees in it and round it;
and a cave called Machpelah at the end of it. It was situated at Hebron (Mamre), and was
purchased of Ephron the Hittite, the son of Zohar, for 400 shekels of silver. Here
Abraham buried Sarah, and here he himself was buried. Here also were buried Isaac,
Rebekah and Jacob ( Gen. 49:2932 ; 50:13 ).
(3) Jacob`s purchase in Gen. 33:19 , was years afterward, of another Hamor, another
descendant of the former Shechem. What Jacob bought was 'a parcel of a field,¨ of
Hamor, a Hivite, perhaps the very field which surrounded the 'sepulchre¨ which
Abraham had before bought of an ancestor of this Hamor. Jacob gave 100 pieces of
money (or lambs , margin) for it. Here Joseph was buried ( Josh. 24:32 ), and here
Jacob`s sons were 'carried over,¨ or transferred , as Joseph was.
Now Acts 7:15 speaks of two parties, as well as of three purchases:'he¨ ( i.e. ,
Jacob), and 'our fathers.¨ In verse 16 the verb is plural and must necessarily refer not to
'he¨ (Jacob), who was buried in Machpelah, but to 'our fathers.¨ They were carried over
and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought, not of 'Ephron the Hittite¨ ( Gen. 23 ),
but of Hamor the Hivite.
In the abbreviated rehearsal of facts well known to all to whom Stephen spoke, and
who would gladly have caught at the least slip, if he had made one, Stephen condensed
the history, and presented it elliptically thus:
'So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers, and [ our fathers ]
were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre:[ he, i.e., Jacob ] in that
ho
*
) Abraham bought for a sum of money, [ and they in that which was
bought ] from the sons of Hamor in Sychem.¨
It is probable that the rest of the 'fathers¨ who died in Egypt were gathered to both of
these burial places, for Josephus says ( Ant. lib. 2.4 ) that they were buried at Hebron;
while Jerome ( Ep. ad Pammach .) declares that in his day their sepulchres were at
Shechem, and were visited by strangers.
Rom. 6:5 . 'For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall
be also in the likeness of his resurrection.¨ Here it is, 'We shall be raised [ in the likeness
] of his resurrection also.¨ (See above, pages 18 , 19 ).
Rom. 12:11 . 'Not slothful in business.¨ Lit., 'not slothful in earnest care [ i.e. ,
earnest care for others (from verse 10 ).¨
1 Cor. 2:11 . 'For what man knoweth the things of a man?¨ i.e. , the [ deep ] things (or
depths ), from verse 10 the secret thoughts and purposes of the spirit of man. 'So the [
deep ] things (or depths ) of God, knoweth no man but the Spirit of God.¨
1 Cor. 2:13 . 'Which things also we speak, not in the words which man`s wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual:¨
Here we have, first, to repeat in the second clause the expression 'in the words¨ from
the first clause:'Not in the words which man`s wisdom teacheth, but [ in the words ]
which the Holy Ghost teacheth.¨ This prepares the way for the supply of the important
Ellipses of the last sentence. The two adjectives 'spiritual¨ (one neuter accusative plural
and the other masculine dative plural) must have nouns which they respectively qualify,
and the question is, What are these nouns to be? The A.V. suggests 'things¨ (which ought
to have been in italics). The R.V. suggests, in the margin, two different nouns:'
interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men.¨ Much depends on the meaning of the verb
( sunkrin ) which occurs only here, and in 2 Cor. 10:12 , in the New
Testament. Its etymological meaning is clear, being a compound of ( krin ), to
separate or sift (hence, to judge ) and ( sun ), together with , so that it means literally
to separate or take to pieces and then to put together . When we do this with things , we
compare them by judging them, or we judge them by comparing them; hence, (
sunkrino ), is translated ' compare ¨ in 2 Cor. 10:12 , and is used of the foolishness of
those who 'measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among
* Griesbach, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, Alford, Wordsworth, Westcott and Hort,
h ) in that which ho ) which .
themselves, are not wise¨ (margin, 'understand it not¨). Here the force of the idea of
judging is clearly seen. So also the verb is used in Wisdom 7:29 , where wisdom 'being
compared with the light is found before it.¨ In Wisdom 15:18 :'They worshipped those
beasts also that are most hateful: for being compared together, some are worse than
others.¨
In 1 Macc. 10:71 , the idea of judging is very clear, being translated ' try .¨
Apollonius says to Jonathan, 'Now therefore, if thou trustest in thine own strength, come
down to us into the plain field, and there let us try the matter together;¨ i.e. , let us judge
or determine the matter together.
In Gen. 40:8 , 16 , 22 ; 41:12 , 15 , it is used for ( pahthar ), to open , hence, to
interpret; and in Dan. 5:13 , 17 for the Chald. ( p’shar ), to explain, interpret; also
in Num. 15:34 for ( pahrash ), to separate or divide , hence (in Pual), to declare
distinctly .
*
'And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to
him¨ ( i.e. , to the man who had gathered sticks on the Sabbath).
Hence, for these are all the occurrences of the verb ( sunkrin ), the general
meaning of the verb is to communicate distinctly so as to expound or interpret or make
anything clear and plain: i.e., to separate or take anything to pieces and put it together
again so as to make its nature or construction known . This meaning to make known or
declare thus seems to combine all the various ideas included in the verb. For we cannot
become known to ourselves by measuring ourselves with others ( 2 Cor. 10:12 ). Hence
the dreams were interpreted or made known ( Gen. 40:8 , etc.), and it was not made
known what was to be done to the Sabbath-breaker ( Num. 15:34 ). This meaning, too,
agrees with 1 Cor. 2:13 , where it is used in connection with persons .
Some propose to supply the Ellipsis with the word 'words¨ from the former part of
the verse. But though it is true, in fact, that the apostle declared spiritual things with
spiritual words, it is not in harmony with what is said in the larger context here.
In verse 1 he explains that when he came to them he could not declare unto them 'the
mystery of God.¨ For so the words must be read, as in the R.V. , and all the critical Greek
Texts.
*
He was obliged to confine his teaching to truths connected with 'Christ crucified,¨
and could not go on to those glorious truths connected with Christ risen (as in Eph. and
Col.) Howbeit (he adds) we do 'teach wisdom among them that are initiated¨ (verse 5 ),
even the mystery (verse 6 ) which had been hidden, but which God had now revealed
(verse 10 ) to him and to the Church through him: viz. , the hitherto profound and
* See also Neh. 8:8 , 'distinctly,¨ and Ezra 4:18 , 'plainly.¨
* ( musteerion ), mystery , and not ( marturion ), testimony .
absolute secret of the Body of Christ, consisting of Christ the glorious Head in heaven,
and His people the members of that body here upon earth; Jews and Gentiles forming
'one new man¨ in Christ.
But these Corinthians (when he went to them) were all taken up with their own
'Bodies.¨ One said, 'I am of Paul¨; and another, 'I am of Apollos.¨ How, then, could
they be prepared to hear, and be initiated into, the wondrous secret concerning the One
Body?
No! These 'spiritual things ¨ could be declared and made known only (verse 13 ) to
'spiritual persons , ¨ and the apostle says ( 3:16 ): 'I could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual, but as unto carnal.¨
This, then, is evidently the scope of the whole context, and it shows us that to receive
these 'spiritual things¨ we must be 'spiritual persons¨: members of the One Body of
Christ, rather than of one of the many 'bodies¨ of men. Then we shall be prepared to
learn the 'deep things of God,¨ which Were afterwards taught to these Corinthian saints
by epistle in 1 Cor. 12
f
1 Cor. 4:4 . 'For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified.¨
I.e. , 'For I am not conscious to myself of any [ unfaithful , from verse 2 ] thing, yet I
am not justified by this; but he that judgeth me is the Lord,¨ and He is able to bring all
such hidden and secret things to light. The R.V. has 'against myself.¨
2 Cor. 3:16 . 'Nevertheless when [ their heart , from verse 15 ] shall turn to the Lord,
the veil shall be taken away [ from it ]¨: i.e. , 'is taken away¨ ( R.V. ), for it is the present
tense, and is very emphatic because it explains why their heart shall turn to the Lord! We
might almost read it 'When the veil is taken away from [ their heart ], it shall turn to the
Lord.¨ See Mal. 4:6 .
2 Cor. 6:16 . 'And what agreement hath the temple of God with [ the temple of ]
idols?¨
2 Cor. 11:14 , 15 . 'And no marvel; for Satan himself transformeth himself into an
angel of light. Therefore it is no great [ marvel ] if his ministers also transform
themselves as ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works:¨
whatever may be their present appearance or 'reward.¨
This is the most dangerous of all Satan`s 'devices.¨ (1) He goes about as 'a roaring
lion¨ ( 1 Pet. 5:8 ), and we know that we must flee from him. (2) He beguiles through his
subtilty, as 'the old serpent¨ ( 2 Cor. 11:3 ), and there is great fear, lest we be
'corrupted.¨ But (3), most dangerous of all, he transforms himself into 'an angel of
f See further on this subject in a pamphlet on The Mystery , by the same author and
publisher.
light.¨ Here it is that God`s servants are deceived and 'join affinity¨ with Ahabs and
Jezebels to 'do (so-called) good¨!
Eph. 3:17–19 . 'That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted
and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and
length and depth and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,
that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.¨
We following the R.V. rendering and supplying the Ellipsis from the preceding
clause:
'That Christ may dwell in your hearts ) ye, being
rooted and grounded in love, may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what the
breadth and length and height and depth [ of love is ] even ( ) to know the love of
Christ which passeth knowledge,¨ etc.
We are to be rooted as a tree, in love; we are to be founded as a building in love; but
we can never know what it is in all its length and breadth and height and depth until we
know Christ`s love for us, for that surpasses all knowledge.
Bengel beautifully explains the four terms: the 'length¨ extending through all ages
from everlasting to everlasting; the 'breadth¨ extending to people from all nations; the
'height¨ to which no man can reach or attain, and from which no creature can pluck us;
its 'depth,¨ so deep that it cannot be fathomed or exhausted. (see on this verse above,
page 18 .)
1 Tim. 1:16 . 'Howbeit, for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ
might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe
on him to life everlasting.¨
Here ( pr tos ), translated 'first,¨ is the same word which is translated
'chief¨ in the preceding verse. If We retain this rendering, we may also supply the
Ellipsis from the same context, thus:'That in me the chief [ of sinners ], Jesus Christ
might show forth all long suffering.¨
The R.V. renders 'that in me as chief,¨ etc.
Heb. 2:11 . 'For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all [ sons ] of
one [ father ]: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.¨
Heb. 7:4 . 'Now consider how great this man was , unto whom even the patriarch
Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.¨
There is here no word for 'man¨ in the Greek, and we may better supply the word
'priest¨ from verse 3 . 'Now consider how great this [ priest ] was.¨
Titus 3:8 . ' This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly.¨ The Greek reads, as in the R.V. , 'concerning these.¨ The A.V. and R.V.
supply ' things .¨ But we may repeat the word 'heirs¨ from the preceding verse:'That
being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
This is a faithful saying, and concerning these [ heirs ] I will that thou affirm constantly (
R.V. , confidently), that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain
good works.¨
1 John 2:2 . 'He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the
sins of the whole world.¨
The words here are correctly repeated from the preceding clause. The contrast is
between 'ours¨ and 'the world.¨ A very emphatic word is here used for 'ours,¨ not the
( heem n ) 'our,¨ which is used in the first
clause, but a special possessive ( heemeteros
), our own . It is used of that which is peculiarly ours as distinct from that which belongs
to others, e.g.:
Acts 2:11 . We do hear them speak in our tongues.
Acts 24:6 . According to our law.
Acts 26:5 . Sect of our religion.
Rom. 15:4 . Were written for our learning.
2 Tim. 4:15 . He hath greatly withstood our words.
Tit. 3:14 . And let ours also learn.
1 John 1:3 . And truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ.
So that 'our sins¨ refers to the writer and his People, as Jews, as distinct from the rest
of the world. Before this, propitiation was only for the sins of Israel; but now, and
henceforth, Christ`s propitiation was for all without distinction, 'out of every kindred,
and tongue, and people, and nation¨: not for all without exception , for then all must be
saved, which is not the case.
See further on this verse under Synecdoche .
( b ) Where the omitted VERB is to be REPEATED from a PRECEDING clause
Gen. 1:30 . The verb ' I have given ¨ is correctly repeated in the A.V. from verse 29 .
Gen. 4:24 . 'If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold,¨
i.e. , 'Lamech [ shall be avenged ] seventy and sevenfold.¨
This is spoken with reference to what is stated in the preceding verse, which is very
obscure both in the A.V. and R.V. The A.V. renders it 'I have slain,¨ and margin ' I
would slay ,¨ while the R.V. renders it 'I have slain a man for wounding me,¨ etc., and
margin ' I will slay .¨ But we must note that these words of Lamech were called forth by
the fact that through his son, who was 'an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron,¨
Lamech was in possession of superior weapons.
This is the earliest form of poetry in the Bible. It is significant that it should be in
praise of that violence which was soon to overspread the earth. It is in praise of the new
weapons of war which Lamech had now obtained; and so proud is he of his newly-
acquired power, that if anyone injured him he declares that he would be so avenged that
he would outdo Jehovah in His punishment of Cain. See further for the poetical form,
under Parallelism .
Deut. 1:4 . 'And Og, the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth [ he ( i.e., Moses )
slew ] in Edrei.¨ See Num. 21:33 . Deut. 3:1 .
1 Kings 20:34 . 'Then said Ahab .¨ The verb must be repeated from the preceding
clause.
Ps. 1:5 . 'Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, and sinners [ shall not
stand ] in the congregation of the righteous.¨
Thus, the blessing of the righteous is, that they do not stand among 'sinners¨ (verse 1
) now; and the punishment of the ungodly will be that they shall not stand among the
righteous in the judgment (verse 5 ).
Ps. 45:3 . 'Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty: [ gird thyself ] with thy
glory and thy majesty.¨
Ps. 126:4 . 'Turn again our captivity, O LORD , as the streams in the south.¨
There must be a figure employed here, as the grammatical construction is not
complete. There is neither subject nor verb in the second clause, as will be apparent if we
set them forth, thus:
Subject. Verb. Object.
O LORD
as .
turn again
.
our captivity,
the streams of the south.
Consequently, it is clear that a figure is employed, and that this figure is Ellipsis .
The correct supply of the Ellipsis will enable us to give a literal translation of the
other words. The comparison employed shows us that the verb required in the second
sentence must be repeated from the first.
'Turn again our captivity, O LORD , as [ thou turnest ] the streams in the south.¨ But
this does not yield the whole sense, unless we see the correct and literal meaning of the
words.
The word 'streams¨ is ( apheekeem ). It is from the root ( aphak ) to put
a force, constraint or restraint upon ( Gen. 43:30 ; 45:1 . Est. 5:19 ).
It is the proper name for a narrow and practically inaccessible water-course, either
natural (in a gorge, or underground); or artificial (in an aqueduct), in which the water is
forced, restrained , and turned about by its strong barriers in various directions. It occurs
eighteen times.
*
Six times with the word 'sea¨ or 'waters.¨ Thus in Ps. 42:1 and Joel
*
2 Sam. 22:16 . 'The channels of the sea appeared.¨
Job 6:15 . 'As the stream of brooks they pass away.¨
Job 12:21 . 'He weakeneth the strength of the mighty ¨ ( i.e., the apheekeem ).
Job 40:18 . 'His [Behemoth`s] bones are as strong pieces of brass¨ ( i.e. , like
apheekeem or aqueducts of brass).
Job 41:15 . 'His [Leviathan`s] scales are his pride¨ ( marg. , strong pieces of
shields ).
Ps. 18:15 . 'Then the channels of waters were seen.¨
Ps. 42:1 . 'As the hart panteth ( marg. , brayeth ) after the water -brooks:¨ i.e., the
apheekeem . So also Joel 1:20 .
Ps. 126:4 . 'Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.¨
Song Sol. 5:12 . 'His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters¨ ( i.e. ,
inhabiting the rocky cliffs of the apheekeem ).
Isa. 8:7 . 'He [the king of Assyria] shall come up over all his channels ¨ ( i.e. ,
over the rocky barriers of the apheekeem ).
Ezek. 6:3 . 'Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the
rivers , and to the valleys¨ ( i.e. , to the gorges and the valleys, answering to
the mountains and hills of the first line). So also 36:4 , 6 .
Ezek. 31:12 . 'His boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land.¨
Ezek. 32:6 . ' The rivers shall be full of thee.¨
1:20 , the hart is pictured ( al apheekai mayim ), over (not ' for , ¨ see
Gen. 1:2 , 'darkness was upon the face of the deep¨; 1:20 , 'fowl that may fly above the
earth,¨ etc.), above the apheekai mayim . The hart hears the rushing of the waters far
below in their rocky bed, and she 'crieth out¨ ( ( arag ) to cry, to long for , only here
and Joel 1:20 ) for the waters she cannot reach.
Then as to the word rendered 'south¨ ( , Negeb ). This is the proper name of a
certain district in Canaan. It was 'south¨ relatively to Canaan, but not absolutely. This is
clear from Gen. 12:9 , where we read, 'Abram journeyed [ from Bethel ] going on still
toward the south¨ ( , the Negeb ). Afterwards we read ( 13:1 ): 'And Abram went
up (north) out of Egypt . into the south¨ ( , the Negeb ).
f
The Negeb is intersected by deep and rocky gorges, or wadis, called ' apheekeem .¨
Springs and wells are almost unknown in that region.
We Can now take the literal signification of these words, and supply the Ellipsis by
repeating the verb of the first clause, in the second, and thus learn the meaning of the
passage:'Turn again our captivity, O LORD , as [ thou turnest ] the apheekeem in the
Negeb,¨ i.e. , as those rushing waters are turned hither and thither by their mighty, rocky
barriers, so Thou canst put forth Thy might, and restrain the violence of our enemies, and
turn us again (as the rocky cliffs and walls turn about the apheekeem ) into our own land.
Prov. 10:23 . ' It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding, hath
wisdom,¨ i.e. , ' It is as sport to a fool to do mischief, but [ to exercise ] wisdom [ is as
sport ] to a man of understanding.¨
Ezek. 34:13 . 'And feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers.¨
Ezek. 35:8 . 'And in all thy rivers , shall they fall that are slain with the [sword.¨
Joel 3:18 . 'All the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters.¨
f
It is still more clear from Deut. 1:7 , where we have four distinct topographical names:
'in the plain ( i.e. , in ARABAH , the Jordan Valley), in the hills ( i.e. , the HILL
COUNTRY of Judah), and in the vale ( i.e. , in SHEPHELAH , the plain of Philistia), in
the south¨ ( i.e. , in the NEGEB , the region south of the hill country of Judah).
For other passages, see Num. 13:17 , 29 ; 21:1 . Deut. 34:3 . Josh. 10:40 : 12:8 ; 15:21
. Judges 1 : 1 Sam. 30:1 . Jer. 17:6 .
Noting these words, several passages are greatly elucidated, such as Jer. 32:44 : 33:13
. Zech. 7:7 . Gen. 13:1 , etc.
Prov. 17:21 . 'He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow,¨ i.e., begetteth him to his
sorrow.
1 Kings 14:14 . 'The LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel who shall cut off the
house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now,¨ i.e. , 'but what [ do I say ]? even now
[ has he raised him up ]:¨ for Baasha, who was to cut off the house of Jeroboam, had
even then been born. Chap. 15:27 , etc. See under Aposiopesis .
2 Kings 9:27 . 'And Jehu . said, Smite him also in the chariot, and they did so , ¨ i.e.
, 'And [ they smote him ] at the going up to Gur.¨
1 Chron. 2:23 . 'All these belonged to the sons of Machir, the father of Gilead.¨
Here the Ellipsis is arbitrarily supplied in the A.V. by introducing a new word into the
text. The verb ' took ¨ must be repeated from the preceding clause, and not the verb
'belonged¨ brought in from nowhere:'And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns
of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore cities. All these [
took ] the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.¨
Neh. 5:4 . 'There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king`s tribute,
and that upon our lands and vineyards.¨
Here the words ' we have mortgaged ¨ must be repeated from verse 3 . Thus:
'There were also some that said, We have borrowed money for the king`s tribute, [ we
have mortgaged ] our lands and vineyards.¨
Ecc. 10:1 . Here the Ellipsis is supplied by the words ' so doth .¨ But it is better to
repeat the verb, thus:'As dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a
stinking savour: so a little folly [ causeth ] him that is in reputation for wisdom and
honour [ to send forth an offensive odour ].¨
Isa. 8:19 , 20 . 'And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar
spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their
God? for [ should ] the living [ seek unto ] to the dead? To the Law and to the Testimony:
if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.¨
Amos 6:12 . 'Shall horses run upon a rock? will one plow there with oxen?¨ i.e. ,
'Shall horses run upon a rock? will a husbandman plow [ a rock ] with oxen?¨
Mark 12:5 . 'And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others [ whom
he sent, and they used them shamefully , from verse 4 ], beating some, and killing some.¨
Mark 14:29 . 'Although all shall be offended, yet will not I [ be offended ].¨
Luke 22:37 . 'For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in
me, And he was reckoned amongst the transgressors: for the things [ written ] concerning
me have an end.¨
This was the last prophecy written of Him which was to be fulfilled before His
betrayal, so He now abrogated a precept, necessary at the presentation of Himself, but no
longer necessary now that He had been rejected, and was about to die. Now, therefore,
they might not only carry a sword, but buy one. So that He was only 'reckoned¨ by man
among the transgressors.
John 15:4 . 'No more can ye, except ye abide in me,¨ i.e. , 'No more can ye [ bear
fruit ] except ye abide in me¨ (see above, pages 12 , 13 ).
Rom. 1:12 . 'That is, that I may be comforted together with you.¨ The verse begins in
the Greek, ( touto de esti ), but this is . The verse reads, 'But this [
imparting to you some spiritual gift ] is (or means) our being jointly comforted by our
mutual faith.¨ He refers to his desire to see these saints in Rome, and the verb is repeated
from verse 11 , 'For I long to see you.¨
Rom. 7:24 , 25 . 'O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of
this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.¨
The sense in this last clause is manifestly incomplete as an answer to the previous
question. Following the most approved reading, instead of 'I thank God,¨ we take the
more ancient words, 'Thanks be to God,¨
*
and repeat the words from verse 24 , thus:
'Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Thanks be to God, [ He will deliver
me ] through Jesus Christ our Lord.¨
The deliverance here desired is from the conflict between the old nature and the new,
the flesh and the spirit.
f
* Through not noticing the Ellipsis , attempts have been made from the earliest times to
get sense by altering the text. The T.R. has
and A K L P . But ndorf, Tregelles, Alford,
Westcott and Hort, and R.V. Also the Vatican MS. Others read, 'But thanks be to God,¨
and others, 'It is the grace of God¨ (DE), and others, 'It is the grace of the Lord¨ (FG).
f It is to be noted that 'spirit¨ with a small 's¨ is one of the names given to the new
nature which is implanted in every believer who is born again of the Holy Spirit; and this
term 'spirit¨ is to be distinguished from the Person of the Holy Spirit, from the context as
well as from the absence of the article. Even in Rom. 8:115 , the Person of the Holy
Spirit is not mentioned. Not until verse 16 , 'spirit of God¨ in 8:9 and 14 is divine spirit,
i.e. , 'divine nature¨ ( 2 Pet. 1:4 ), 'spirit of Christ¨ ( 8:9 ) is Pueuma-Christou , Christ-
Spirit , another term for the new nature. So, 'spirit of adoption¨ (verse 15 ) is ' sonship-
spirit , ¨ and 'the spirit of Him¨ (verse 11 ) is 'the new nature [ given by ] Him who
raised up,¨ &c.
But as the flesh is bound up with this 'body of death,¨ i.e. , this dying body, this
mortal body, there is no deliverance except either through death and resurrection, or
through that 'change¨ which shall take place at the coming of Christ.
The old heart is not changed or taken away, but a new heart is given, and these two
are contrary the one to the other. They remain together, and must remain until God shall
'deliver¨ us from the burden of this sinful fleshthis mortal bodyby a glorious
resurrection like unto Christ`s. This deliverance is further described in 8:11 and 23 ; and
it is 'through Jesus¨ that our mortal bodies shall be raised again. See 1 Thess. 4:14 ,
dia Ieesou ), 'by means of Jesus,¨ and 1 Thess. 5:9 : 'God hath not appointed
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation ( i.e. , full deliverance from this body of sin and death)
by ( i.e. , by means of, or through) our Lord Jesus Christ.¨
See this passage under the Figures of Metonymy , Hypallage , Ecphonesis , and
Erotesis .
Rom. 8:19–21 may be explained thus:
Expectation.
A 19 . For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of
the sons of God.
The Reason.
B 20 . For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by
reason of him who hath subjected the same:
Expectation.
A 20 . [ Waiteth, I say (from verse 19 )] in hope,
The Reason.
B 21 . Because the creature itself shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Here, A, corresponding with A , shows us that we are to repeat in the latter member, A
, the verb used in the former, A; the subject of each member being the same.
Rom. 8:33 . 'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God`s elect? It is God that
justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died.¨
We have to remember that, while only the greater pauses are indicated in the ancient
manuscripts, there is no authority for the minor interpunctuation. This can generally be
accurately gathered by the devout student of the context. Here it is probable that the
questions ought to be repeated:'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God`s elect? [
Shall ] God who justifieth [ them ]? Who is he that condemneth [ them ]? [ Is it ] Christ
who died [ for them ]? Yea, rather; that is risen again, etc.¨
1 Cor. 4:15 . 'For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not
many fathers.¨
Here the verb 'ye have¨ is correctly repeated in the A.V.
1 Cor. 15:23 . 'But every man [ shall be made alive (from verse 22 )] in his own
order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ`s at his coming. Then the end,¨
i.e. , not 'then cometh the end,¨ for ( to telos ) is used of the last company of a
body of soldiers.
*
( to telos ) is the end: but of what, or what end, can be
determined only by the context. Here the subject is the various bodies ( tagmata
) ranks, i.e. , every man in his own proper band. Of these bands or ranks Christ is first;
then they that are Christ`s at His coming; then the last of these bands at the end of the
thousand years ( Rev. 20:5 ), when Christ shall deliver up the kingdom.
The second of these is not the resurrection foretold in 1 Thess. 4:16 , as the privilege
of those who are 'in Christ,¨ but the 'first¨ of the two resurrections referred to in the Old
Testament, the Gospels, and the Apocalypse.
2 Cor. 1:6 . 'And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation.¨
Here the A.V. supplies the verb substantive. It is better to repeat the verb '[ we are
afflicted ] for your consolation.¨
2 Cor. 3:11 . 'For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which
remaineth is glorious.¨
Here the two words ( dia doxees ), by means of glory en
doxee ), in glory , are both translated by the same word, 'glorious,¨ while the verb
substantive (' was ¨ and ' is ¨) is thus necessarily, though incorrectly, supplied. The R.V.
renders the verse, 'For if that which passeth away (margin, is being done away ) was with
glory, much more that which remaineth is in glory.¨
But, if we repeat the verbs already used by the Holy Spirit, we can take the Greek
literally:'For if that which is done away [ is done away ] by glory (see verse 10 ),
much more that which remaineth, [ remaineth ] in glory.¨
2 Cor. 12:2 . 'Such an one [ I knew ] caught up, etc.¨
( harpaz ) does not necessarily mean that the catching is 'up,¨ but
rather ' away .¨ In Matt. 11:12 . John 6:15 . Acts 23:10 it is rendered take by force . In
Matt. 13:19 . Acts 8:39 it is catch away . In John 10:12 it is rendered 'catch¨; in John
10:28 , 29 , it is 'pluck¨; while in Jude 23 it is pull .
* Hom. Il. 7, 380; 10, 470, etc.
See also Ezek. 8:3 . Rev. 1:10 . 'Such an one [ I knew ] caught away:¨ and this either
with reference to place or time, i.e. , caught away to some present place ( Acts 8:39 , 40 ),
or to a vision of some future time (as in Ezek. 8:3 . Rev. 1:10 ; 4:2 , etc.).
Gal. 2:7 . 'The gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of
the circumcision was [ committed ] unto Peter.¨
Gal. 5:17 . 'For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and
these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.¨
( epithume ) is connected with ( kata ), against, i.e.,
to desire that which is against , or contrary to . The same verb is used both of the flesh
and of the spirit ( i.e. , the new nature), and the Ellipsis of the verb with reference to the
latter enables it to be used in its bad sense with regard to the flesh and in a good sense
with regard to the spirit:'For the flesh desires that which is against the spirit, and the
spirit desires that which is against the flesh; and these desires are contrary to one another,
so that ye cannot do the things that ye would,¨ i.e. , so that your new nature is hindered
ofttimes in doing those good things that ye would, and, thank God, your old nature is also
hindered from doing the things which it lusts after.
Eph. 1:13 . 'In whom ye also trusted .¨ Here the verb is repeated from verse 12 : but it
seems rather that another verb should be repeated, from verse 11 : 'In whom ye also were
allotted as God’s own inheritance , ¨ for it is the inheritance which is the subject of the
context and not the matter of trusting.
The R.V. neither sees, nor supplies the Ellipsis , treating it as an Anacoluthon ( q.v. ).
Eph. 4:22 . We must repeat from verse 17 , '[ I say also ] that ye put off concerning
the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts.¨
1 Thess. 2:11 . 'Ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of
you, as a father doth his children.¨
Here all three verbs are to be understood, i.e. , 'as a father [ exhorteth , and
comforteth , and chargeth ] his children.¨ (See under Polysyndeton ).
The R.V. better preserves the order of the Greek, supplying and treating the Ellipsis
as absolute. 'As ye know how we dealt with each one of you, as a father with his own
children, exhorting you, and encouraging you , and testifying, etc.¨
1 Thess. 4:14 . 'For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.¨
R.V. :'Even so them also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him.¨
The two clauses of this verse, as they are thus translated, are so inconsequent that the
passage has been a source of difficulty to many, and is practically unintelligible. When
this is the case we must ask whether there is a figure employed, and, if so, what it is. Here
it can be only the figure Ellipsis . But what are the omitted words, which if supplied will
cause the passage to yield sense as to teaching, and completeness as to structure?
Before we can answer this question we must institute an enquiry into the usage of the
word translated 'even:¨ as this is the key that will open this lock, besides explaining and
throwing light on many other passages. The word 'even¨ here is ( kai ), and ( kai
) is the ordinary conjunction, and , which has two distinct senses, (1) and , (2) also or
even . It is the latter of these with which we are now concerned. It is a matter of great
importance that we should always know what is the word which it emphasizes. In the
Greek, this is never in doubt.
*
But in English literature, including both the A.V. and the
R.V. , its usage is very inconsistent and defective. In the Greek, , when it means also ,
is always placed immediately BEFORE the word which it emphasizes; while in English
usage it may be placed either before or after the word. When we add to this that both in
the A.V. and R.V. it is often dissociated altogether from this word, the confusion and
ambiguity can be imagined.
The word is used in the sense of also some 636 times in the New Testament.
f
In 258 of these it is placed (in the A.V. ) after the word.
In 275 it is placed before the word, or in connection with another word to which it
does not belong.
In 60 places it is not translated at all.
In 43 places it is rendered even , and placed before the word.
Sometimes the A.V. and R.V. agree in this, and sometimes they differ.
Now, remembering that the English word 'also¨ must immediately follow the word
which it emphasizes, we ask what is that word here ( 1 Thess. 4:14 )? As the Greek
stands, it reads, 'If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them which sleep in
Jesus, GOD also will bring with him.¨ But this yields no intelligible meaning. The hope
that is mentioned in the second clause cannot be conditioned on our belief of the fact
stated in the former clause.
But notice, before we proceed, that the preposition ( dia ), when it governs the
genitive case, as it does here, denotes agency, and is rendered 'by¨ 235 times, 'through¨
* Nor is it in the Hebrew, as the is always joined to and forms part of the word with
which it is connected.
f See a pamphlet on the usage of the word 'Also¨ in the New Testament, by the same
author and publisher.
87 times, etc.; but 'in¨ only 8 times. See its use in the very next chapter ( 1 Thess. 5:9 ),
'We are appointed to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ¨ (
saved from wrath through him¨ (
ile translating it here 'in Jesus,¨ says in
the margin, 'Greek, through , ¨ and adds the alternative rendering, ' Will God through
Jesus bring .¨
The one thought and subject is Resurrection, as the great and blessed hope of the
Lord`s people. The three clauses are perfectly balanced, as will be seen in the following
structure of verse 14 :
a If we believe (Belief)
b that Jesus died (Death)
c and rose again, (Resurrection)
a In like manner [ we believe ] also (Belief)
b That them which are asleep (Death)
c will God (by Jesus) bring with Him [ from the dead ]. (Resurrection).
Here in a and a we have the statement of our belief , in b and b we have death (in b
the death of Jesus, and in b the death of His saints), while in c and c we have resurrection
(in c the resurrection of Jesus by God, and in c the resurrection of His people by God),
but in an explanatory parenthesis it is explained that the Lord Jesus will be the agent, as
the context goes on to show (see John 5:21 : 11:25 , 43 ). It was God who brought Jesus
from the dead ( Heb. 13:20 ). In like manner will Heby Jesusbring His people from
the dead.
Hence, we must repeat the verb ' we believe ¨ from the first clause: 'If we believe
that Jesus died and rose again, in like manner [ we believe ] also that God will, through
Jesus, bring, with Him, them that are fallen asleep.¨
This is the scope of the passage, which immediately goes on to explain how this will
be accomplished. We have the same hope presented in the same manner in Rom. 6:5 ;
8:11 . 2 Cor. 4:14 , viz. , that Resurrection and Advent are the only hope of mourning
saints.
Heb. 3:15 . 'While it is said, To-day, etc. ,
, ¨ 'in (or by) its being said, To-day.¨
The simplest solution of this confessedly difficult passage is to repeat the exhortation
from verse 13 : '[ As ye are exhorted ] by the saying, To-day, etc.¨
Heb. 4:7 . 'Again [ seeing ] he limiteth,¨ from verse 6 .
Heb. 4:10 . 'For he that hath entered into his rest, he himself also hath rested from his
works, as God [ rested ] from his.¨
Heb. 7:8 . 'And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them , of whom
it is witnessed that he liveth.¨
The reference is clearly to Melchisedec, and it is not testified of him that he now
liveth. In Ps. 110:4 it is testified of Christ, 'Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec.¨ That which marked 'the order of Melchisedec¨ as being different from
'the order of Aaron¨ was the fact that the days of Aaron`s order of priesthood began at 30
years of age, and ended at the age of 50 years, whereas the days of Melchisedec`s had
neither such a beginning nor such a limitation: his priesthood had 'neither beginning of
days nor end of life,¨ but he remained a priest continually, i.e. , all his life ( 7:3 ).
( eis to dieenekes ) means for a continuance , the duration being determined by
the nature of the context.
In chap. 7:1 it must mean that Melchisedec remained a priest all his life; in chap. 10:1
it must mean that the sacrifices were continually offered until the end of the Mosaic
dispensation; in 10:12 it means that the one sacrifice of Christ is efficacious in perpetuity
(or, with Macknight, that Christ offered only one sacrifice during His whole life); while
in chap. 10:14 it means that the perfection arising from this sacrifice is limited only by
the life of those who are sanctified.
Hence, here in 7:8 the Ellipsis may be thus supplied:'And here men that die
receive tithes; but there [ a man received them ] of whom it is testified that he lived [ a
priest all his life .]¨
*
As Melchisedec was a priest all the days of his life, and his was a mortal life; so
Christ was a Priest after the same order; and therefore, as His life is eternal, and has no
limit, His priesthood (unlike that of Aaron`s) must also be without limit, and He is 'a
priest for ever.¨
Heb. 12:25 . 'See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who
refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape , if we turn away from
him that speaketh from heaven.¨ Here the words are correctly repeated from what
precedes.
* The present tense is here (as is often the case) put (by the figure of Enallage ( q.v. ), or
'Exchange¨) for the preterite as in Acts 9:26 ), not believing that he is a disciple ( i.e. ,
was); Heb. 7:3 , he remaineth ( i.e. , remained); Mark 5:15 , they come and see ( i.e. ,
came and saw); John 1:29 , John seeth ( i.e. , saw), John 1:46 , Philip findeth and saith (
i.e. , found and said); John 9:13 , they bring him ( i.e. , they brought), etc., etc. In all such
cases the figure of Enallage marks the action which is thus emphasized.
2 Pet. 1:19 . 'We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that
ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day
star arise; [ taking heed, I say ] in your hearts.¨
It cannot be that we are to take heed until we are illuminated by God`s Spirit, or until
we are converted! but that we are to take heed to the word of prophecy in our hearts; for
it is like a light shining in a dark place. A light is for our eyes to see, and for our feet to
use, but the prophetic word is for our hearts to be exercised with. This is contrary to
popular theology. This word declares that the world is the 'dark place,¨ and prophecy is
the only light we have in it, to which we do well that we take heed. Popular theology says
that prophecy is the 'dark place,¨ and we 'do well¨ to avoid it!
1 John 3:10 . 'Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not [ born ] of God,¨ from verse
9 . So also verse 12 , 'Not as Cain, who was [ born ] of that wicked one.¨ Also verse 19 ,
'We know that we are [ born ] of the truth.¨
2 John 2 . '[ Loving you ] for the truth`s sake,¨ from verse 1 .
2 John 12 . 'Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and
ink.¨
Rev. 19:10 . 'And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it
not,¨ i.e. , 'See [ thou worship me ] not.¨
( c ) Where an omitted PARTICLE is to be repeated from the preceding clause
(i.) Negatives
The negative is frequently omitted; and is generally supplied in the A.V. and R.V.
Deut. 33:6 . 'Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.¨
1 Sam. 2:3 . 'Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your
mouth.¨
1 Kings 2:9 . 'Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and
knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the
grave with blood.¨
This has been a favourite text with 'those that oppose themselves¨ ( 2 Tim. 2:25 ).
Misunderstanding the phrase, where David is called 'a man after God`s own heart¨ (as
though it referred to David`s character , instead of to David`s calling , being chosen by
God and not, as Saul was, by man ), infidels have pointed to 1 Kings 2:9 to show David`s
faithless and bloodthirsty character! But if, as in so many other cases, we repeat the
negative from the preceding clause, there is no such difficulty: 'but his hoar head bring
thou [ not ] down to the grave with blood.¨
True, Solomon did put Shimei to death, but this was for quite another reason, and as
Solomon said, Shimei`s blood was upon his own head (verse 37 ).
Thus the passage is brought into agreement with David`s oath to Shimei, which is
repeated in immediate connection with this verse (verse 8 from 2 Sam. 19:23 ).
Ps. 9:18 . 'For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall
not perish for ever.¨
Here the negative is supplied by the A.V. in italics.
Ps. 38:1 . 'O LORD , rebuke me not in thy wrath: and chasten me [ not ] in thy hot
displeasure.¨
Ps. 75:5 . 'Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.¨
Here the negative is supplied, as it is in many passages.
Prov. 25:27 . ' It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory
is not glory.¨
Isa. 38:18 . 'For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee.¨
It is open to question whether
Gen. 2:6 is one of these cases. The three verses 46 describe the condition of the earth
before the creation of man (verse 7 ), and before the plants and herbs of the field grew.
(Compare verses 4 and 9 ). Then three negative reasons are given why these did not
grow:(1) 'For ( ) the LORD God had not ( ) caused it to rain upon the earth, (2)
and ( ) there was a man nowhere ( ) to till the ground, (3) and ( ) [ no ] mist went
up to water the whole face of the ground.¨
(ii.) Interrogatives
( lammah ). Why?
Ps. 2:1 , 2 . 'Why do the heathen rage, and [ why do ] the people imagine a vain thing?
[ Why do ] the kings of the earth set themselves, and [ why do ] the rulers take counsel
together?¨
Ps. 10:1 . Here the A.V. repeats it: 'Why ( ) standest thou afar off, O LORD ? why
hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?¨
( kammah ). How oft?
Job 21:17 . 'How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their
destruction upon them!¨ Here the words ' how oft ¨ are correctly repeated in the A.V. But
why not repeat them also in the following sentences, instead of supplying the word ' God
, ¨ and translate thus: '[ How oft ] He distributeth sorrows in His anger! [ How oft ] are
they as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away! [ How oft ]
God layeth up calamity for his ( i.e. , the wicked man`s) children.
*
He recompenseth him
and he shall know it; his eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink the wrath of the
Almighty.¨
( eykh ). How?
Ps. 73:19 . 'How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly
consumed with terrors.¨ But it is better to repeat the word 'how¨:' How are they
utterly consumed with terror!¨
( eykah ). How!
An exclamation of pain and grief 'How!¨ This gives its title to the book of
Lamentations in the Hebrew Canon
f
' Eykah .¨
Three prophets use this word of Israel:Moses uses it of Israel in his glory and pride
( Deut. 1:12 ): Isaiah, of Jerusalem in her dissipation ( Isa. 1:21 ): and Jeremiah, of
Jerusalem in her desolation ( Lam. 1:1 , etc.).
Hence, the word very frequently occurs in the book of Lamentations; and its Ellipsis
or omission is frequently to be supplied by repetition. In many cases this is done in the
A.V. Note, for example:
Lam. 1:1 , 2 . 'How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she
become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the
provinces, how is she become tributary! 2 . [ How ] she weepeth sore in the night,¨ etc. 3 .
[ How ] is Judah gone into captivity . 4 . [ How ] the ways of Zion do mourn.¨
See also 2:1 , 2 , etc.; 4:1 , 4 , 8 , 10 .
( mah ). How!
Joel 1:18 . 'How ( ) do the beasts groan! [ How ] are the herds of cattle
perplexed!¨
* The R.V. , missing the proper Ellipsis , arbitrarily introduces the words ' Ye say , God
layeth up iniquity for his children,¨ taking the words as the words of the wicked man
instead of the children!
f The title in the English Version is from the Latin Vulgate. See The Names and Order of
the Books of the Old Testament , by the same author and publisher.
( ad-meh ). How long?
Ps. 4:3 . 'O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will
ye love vanity?¨
Here the interrogative is repeated, but why not repeat it again instead of supplying the
word ' and ¨ ? Thus:'[ How long ] will ye seek after leasing?¨
Ps. 89:46 . 'How long, LORD ? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? [ How long, Lord ] shall
thy wrath burn like fire?¨
( ad-mahthai ). How long?
Ps. 94:3 , 4 . 'Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
How long shall they utter and speak hard things? [ How long ] shall all the workers of
iniquity boast themselves?¨
( d ) Where the omission of CONNECTED WORDS is to be supplied by repeating them out
of a preceding clause
This form of Ellipsis, though it is very clear, is not always supplied in the A.V.
Num. 26:3 , 4 . 'And Moses . . spake . . saying, Take the sum of the people , from
twenty years old and upward,¨ which words are correctly repeated from verse 2 .
Josh. 24:19 . 'And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD : for he is
an holy God,¨ etc.
The words must be supplied from verses 1416 : see also verses 20 , 23 . Thus:'Ye
cannot serve the LORD [ unless ye put away your idols ], for he is a holy God,¨ etc.
Ps. 84:3 . 'Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.¨
There is evidently a figure here: for in what way could birds build nests and lay
young in the altars of God? The one was covered over with brazen plates, with fires
perpetually burning and sacrifices continually being offered upon it; the other was
overlaid with gold, and was within the Holy Place! The question therefore is, What is the
kind of figure here? It is the figure of Ellipsis , which the A.V. and R.V. have made
worse by inserting the word ' even ¨ (the A.V. in italic type, the R.V. in Roman). It must
be correctly supplied by repeating the words from the preceding clause: ' so hath my soul
found thy altars, O LORD of hosts,¨ i.e. , as the birds find, and love, and use their house,
so I find and love Thy house, my King and my God.
If we observe the structure of the passage,
*
we see how this supply of the Ellipsis is
necessitated:
a 1 . How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!
b 2 . My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD : my heart
and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
c 3 . Yea, the sparrow hath found an house,
c and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,
b even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.
a 4 . Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.
Selah.
This structure at once puts c and c practically in a parenthesis, and b and b may be
read on literally and connectedly without a break, and without any apparent Ellipsis;
thus:
b 2 . My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD : my heart
and my flesh crieth out for the living God,
b even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.
But b read after c must have the Ellipsis supplied:'The sparrow hath found an
house, and the swallow a nest for herself . [ so have I found ] thine altars, O LORD of
hosts.¨
Prov. 21:1 . 'The king`s heart is in the hand of the LORD , as the rivers of water: he
turneth it whithersoever he will.¨
Here the second sentence is manifestly incomplete. There is a subject, but there is no
verb, and no object, as will be seen if we present it in this way:
Subject . Verb . Object .
The King`s heart
as the rivers of water
is
..
in the hand of the LORD .
. .
It is clear from this that we have to supply both the verb and the predicate in the latter
sentence. What they are to be will be seen more clearly when we translate the other
words more correctly.
* See Key to the Psalms , p. 79. Edited by the same author.
The expression 'rivers of water¨ is in the Hebrew ( palgey mayim ).
Palgey means divisions of , and is the plural construct of ( palag ), to divide .
f
The
name of the Patriarch Peleg ( i.e., division ) was so called 'because in his days was the
earth divided¨ ( Gen. 10:25 ). The term palgey mayim
*
is the technical term for the little
channels, or gullies, of water which divide the Eastern garden into small squares of about
12 feet each, for purposes of irrigation. Hence the word is used for any little channel by
which the water is distributed or divided , especially the channels which divide-up a
garden. It is used also of the trickling of tears. In Ps. 1:3 , the man who meditates in the
law of God is like a tree planted by the palgey mayim , i.e. , in a garden, where it will
have a sure supply of water and the constant care of the gardener! Not left out in the plain
to shift for itself; to thrive if it gets water, and to die if it does not!
These little channels were filled by the gardener with water from the spring, or well,
or fountain, which every Eastern garden must possess; and then the water was sent first
into one channel, then into another, by the simple movement of his foot: 'the land
whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt from whence ye came out,
where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs¨ ( Deut.
11:10 ). The gardener did not deign to use a tool, or to stoop down and use his hands. By
f ( palag ), to divide , occurs only in Gen. 10:25 . 1 Chron. 1:19 . 'In his days was
the earth divided.¨ Job 38:25 , 'Who hath divided a watercourse,¨ and Ps. 55:9 . 'Destroy
their tongues and divide them.¨
*
The word is used of any very small artificial channel. The following are all the
occurrences:
Job 29:6 . The rock poured me out rivers of oil.
Ps. 1:3 . Like a tree planted by the rivers of water .
Ps. 46:4 . A river the streams whereof shall make glad.
Ps. 65:9 . Enrichest it with the river of God.
Ps. 119:136 . Rivers of waters run down mine eyes.
Prov. 5:16 . (And) rivers of waters in the streets.
Isa. 30:25 . Rivers and streams of waters.
Isa. 32:2 . As rivers of water in a dry place.
Lam. 3:48 . Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water.
simply moving the foot he dammed up one little stream, or by a similar movement he
released the water in another.
Now we are able to supply the Ellipsis correctly in this verse:
'The king`s heart is in the hand of the LORD as the palgey mayim [ are in the hand of
the gardener ]: He turneth it whithersoever He will.¨
To an Eastern mind this would be perfectly clear without the supply of the Ellipsis.
Just as in England the expression, 'A coach and four¨ is perfectly clear, and the supply of
the Ellipsis 'horses¨ is wholly unnecessary. But an Esquimaux or a South Sea Islander, or
an Arab, would ask, 'A coach and four what?¨ It would be unintelligible to him, while
with us it needs no explanation.
So when we learn and understand the customs and peculiarities of the East we can
often supply the Ellipsis from such knowledge, as Easterns would supply it naturally.
The teaching of the passage then is that just as the little channels of water in a garden
are turned about by the gardener by the simple movement of his foot, so the king`s heart
is as easily turned about by the LORD , 'whithersoever He wills.¨
Oh how full of comfort for ourselves, for our friends, for our children, to know this,
and to be assured of it! 'On that night could not the king sleep¨ ( Est. 6:1 ). A sleepless
night! The king`s heart turnedthe law of the Medes and Persians reversedand Israel
delivered. Oh how simple! Let us never again limit His almighty powerfor it is
almighty power that is required to turn the heart of man. We know how difficult it is to
convince even a friend on the simplest matter of fact. But let us remember that the heart
of even an Eastern despot is as easily turned by the LORD `s mighty hand as the palgai
mayim are turned by the simple movement of a gardener`s foot.
Job 3:23 . ' Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged
in?¨
Here the words, ' why is light given , ¨ are correctly repeated from verse 20 . This
expression about giving light is similar to that of 'seeing the sun¨ ( 6:5 , and 7:5 ). Both
are idioms ( q.v. ) for living or being alive, as is clear from verses 20 , 21 . 'Wherefore is
light given,¨ i.e. , why is life prolonged, in the case of those who are in misery and long
for death?
The latter part of the verse may be cleared by noting that the word 'hid,¨ as applied to
'a way,¨ differs from that in Ps. 2:12 . In Ps. 2:12 ( avad ) is to lose a way which is
already known. Here, it is ( sathar ) which implies that the way is not known at all.
It hides itself. In this case God has hidden it and it cannot be found.
What good is life, Job complains, to a man if God has completely covered up the
way? The word ( sakak ), rendered 'hedged in,¨ refers to the way, not to the man,
and means, not 'hedged in,¨ but covered up (see 38:8 ). It is not the same word as 1:10
(which is ( sook ), to hedge in ), nor as 19:8 , as indicated in the margin (which is
( gadar ) to fence up ).
Ecc. 7:11 , 12 has evidently given some trouble, as is clear from the italics in Text and
margin both of A.V. and R.V.
'Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the
sun.¨ Margin, ' as good as an inheritance, yea, better too .¨
The R.V. reads:'Wisdom is as good as an inheritance: yea, more excellent is it for
them that see the sun.¨ Margin, ' is good together with an inheritance: and profitable
unto them ,¨ etc.
We must take ( im ), with , in its idea of accompaniment, in common with, i.e.,
like or as (see Gen. 18:23 , 25 . Job 3:14 , 15 ; 9:26 ; 21:8 ; 40:15 . Ps. 73:5 , 25 ; 143:7 .
Ecc. 2:16 ), and translate:
'Wisdom is good, as an inheritance is good , and more excellent to them that see the
sun¨ ( i.e. , for living men, see above under Job 3:23 ). For to be in ( , b , which is
ignored by A.V. and R.V. ) the shelter ( , tzel , Gen. 19:8 ; Num. 14:9 ; Ps. 17:9 ) of
wisdom [ is more excellent than to be ] under the shelter ( ) of money; and the
advantage of wisdom is that wisdom preserveth the life of them that possess it.¨
That is to say, briefly, wisdom is good: and money is good, but wisdom has this
advantage over money; it can preserve life, while an inheritance or money cannot.
Zech. 14:18 . The verse reads in the Hebrew (see margin):'And if the family of
Egypt go not up, and come not, not upon them there shall be the plague wherewith the
LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.¨
Here, there is evidently a figure: because, read with verse 17 , there is not only no
sense, but quite an opposite sense to that which is clearly intended. Our duty is to ask,
What is the figure? For we are not at liberty to suggest an alteration of the Text, or to
make even a free translation of it. The R.V. resorts to the easy method of suggesting in
the margin: 'The text is probably corrupt.¨ This is a very common practice of
commentators! It never seems to enter their heads that the difficulty lies with themselves.
It would have been more becoming to have said, 'Our understandings are probably at
fault¨! The R.V. arbitrarily inserts words, as does the A.V. , and even then both Versions
fail to make sense.
The A.V. says: 'That have no rain ¨ ( marg. , ' upon whom there is not ¨).
The R.V. : 'Neither shall it be upon them¨ ( marg. , ' shall there not be upon them
the plague? ¨ etc.).
The Ellipsis is Correctly and simply supplied by repeating 'there shall be no rain¨
from the preceding clause: which, describing millennial days, says:
'Whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship
the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt
go not up, and come not, not upon them [ shall there be no rain ];
*
there shall be the
plague, [ aforesaid , verse 12 ] wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not
up to the feast of tabernacles.¨
Matt. 2:10 . 'When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy:¨ i.e. ,
'When they saw the star [ standing over where the young child was ], they rejoiced.¨ The
words are to be repeated from verse 9 .
Matt. 13:32 . 'Which indeed is the least of all seeds [ which a man takes and sows in a
field ];¨ from verse 31 ; i.e. , not the least, absolutely, but relatively, as to those seeds
which are usually sown in the field.
Mark 5:23 . 'And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of
death: I pray thee , come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed.¨
Here the A.V. adds: ' I pray thee ,¨ but it is better to repeat the verb from the
beginning of the verse, and then we may take the other words literally:' I beseech thee
earnestly that having come thou wouldest lay on her thy hands,¨ etc.
John 1:18 . 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the
bosom of the Father, he hath declared him .¨ Here the sense is to be completed by
repeating the words from the preceding clause, thus: 'No man hath seen God at any time;
the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath [ seen God, and ]
declared [ the Father ].¨
John 9:3 . Here the Ellipsis is to be supplied from verse 2 . 'Neither hath this man
sinned, nor his parents [ that he should be born blind ]: but that the works of God should
be made manifest in him.¨ See below ( page 107 ).
Rom. 4:12 . 'And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision,¨
etc.
Here the words are to be repeated from the preceding clause:'And the father of the
circumcision [ that righteousness might be imputed ] to them who are not of the
circumcision only, but also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which
he had being yet uncircumcised.¨
* Because Egypt has no rain, as it is, and is therefore thus excepted here.
Rom. 5:3 . 'And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also,¨ i.e. , 'And not only do
we [ rejoice in hope of the glory of God ], but we glory also in tribulations.¨
*
Rom. 5:11 . 'And not only so :¨ i.e. , 'And not only [ are we saved from wrath
through him ], but we also
f
joy in God [ as our God ] through our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom we have now received the reconciliation.¨
It is at this point that the great doctrinal portion of Romans divides into two portions.
It runs from 1:16 to 8:39 . Up to 5:11 the subject is 'sins¨: from verse 12 it is 'sin.¨ Up to
this point the subject is the products of the old nature: from this point it is the old nature
itself. Up to 5:11 it is the fruits of the old tree: from 5:12 it is the old tree itself. Up to this
point we are considered as 'in the flesh¨: from this point we are considered as 'not in the
flesh,¨ but the flesh is in us.
|
Rom. 7:7 . 'What shall we say then? [ that ] the law [ is ] sin? God forbid! Nay, I had
not known sin but by (or through) the law; for I had not known lust [ to be sin ] except
the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But [ I say that ] (from verse 7 ) sin taking
occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence ( or desire ).
For without the law sin [ is ] dead.¨
Rom. 8:23 . 'And not only they , ¨ i.e. , 'And not only [ every creature groaneth ], but
ourselves also,¨ etc.
Rom. 9:10 . 'And not only this , ¨ i.e. , 'And not only [ was there that limitation of the
promise to this son ], but when Rebecca also had conceived [ twins ] by one, even by our
father Isaac .. it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.¨
Rom. 10:8 . 'But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy
heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach [ is nigh thee ].¨
1 Cor. 15:42 . 'So also is the resurrection of the dead.¨ Here instead of using the verb
substantive we must repeat the words from verses 37 and 41 , and then we can preserve
the proper emphasis shown by the position of 'also¨:'So the RESURRECTION
also of the dead [ is with a different body ].¨ This preserves the harmony of the whole
argument.
* In the Greek the emphasis is on the verb 'glory.¨ 'We GLORY also in tribulations,¨ i.e.
, we not only have them like all other people, but by grace we are able to glory in them.
For the usage of the word 'also¨ see page 90 .
f In the Greek the emphasis is on the word 'joy.¨ 'We JOY also in God.¨ See a pamphlet
on the biblical usage of the word Also , by the same author and publisher.
| See further, on this, a series of articles in Things to Come commencing September,
1898.
2 Cor. 8:19 . 'And not that only,¨ i.e. , 'And not only [ is his praise throughout all the
churches ], but he was chosen
*
also of the churches to travel with us with this grace (or
gift),¨ etc.
Col. 3:4 . 'When Christ, who is our life, shall appear.¨ It is a question whether this
Ellipsis should be supplied (as in A.V. and R.V. ) by the verb substantive, or whether the
words should be repeated from the preceding verse, 'When Christ, [ with whom ] our life
[ is hid ], shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.¨ Many ancient MSS.,
with Lachmann (margin), Tischendorf, Tregelles, R.V. margin, read 'your life.¨
2 Tim. 1:7 . 'For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love,
and of a sound mind.¨
Here, by way of contrast, the words are to be repeated in the second clause: 'but [
God hath given to us the spirit ] of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.¨
More properly it should be 'a¨ spirit, not 'the spirit,¨ and the fact that a noun is used
(by the figure of Enallage , q.v. ) instead of an adjective, shows us that the emphasis is to
be placed on the adjective. 'a COWARDLY spirit,¨ ( pneuma deilias );
( deilias ), means timidity, fearfulness, cowardice , and always in a bad sense (see
the verb ( deilia ), John 14:27 . The adjective, Matt. 8:26 . Mark 4:40 . Rev.
21:8 ).
1 John 2:19 . Here the Ellipsis is correctly supplied in the A.V. , ' they went out .¨
1 John 5:15 . 'And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask [ according to his
will ], we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.¨
Here the words, ' according to His will ,¨ are to be supplied from the preceding
verse.
2. Where the omitted word is to be supplied out of a SUCCEEDING Clause
Josh. 3:3 . 'When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests
the Levites bearing it [ going before ], then ye shall remove from your place, and go after
it.¨
Here the words ' going before ¨ are necessitated, and are to be supplied from the
words that follow' go after .¨
Judges 16:13 , 14 . 'If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web, [ and
fastenest them with a pin in the beam (from verse 14 ), then shall I be weak and be as
another man (from verses 7 and 11 )]: and she fastened it with the pin, etc.¨ The Arabic
and Vulgate Versions supply these words to complete the sense. See Appendix C .
* In the Greek the emphasis is on the word 'chosen¨:' CHOSEN also.¨
Homœoteleuton , where it is shown that this is not really an Ellipsis , but an ancient
omission on the part of some scribe.
1 Sam. 16:7 . 'The LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the
height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth;
for man looketh on the outward appearance (Heb. on the eyes ), but the LORD looketh on
the heart.¨
Here the verb ' seeth ¨ is correctly repeated from the succeeding clause. It is not
necessary to repeat 'the LORD ,¨ though it is true, and greatly beautifies the English. It
may be simply 'for it is not as man seeth,¨ or, 'for I see not as man seeth,¨ which comes
to the same thing.
1 Kings 3:12 . 'Lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was
none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee,¨ i.e., among
the kings , which words follow in verse 13 . See also 10:23 .
1 Kings 14:15 . 'For the LORD shall smite Israel, [ shaking him ] as a reed is shaken in
the water.¨
1 Chron. 4:7 . 'And the sons of Helah were , Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan, [ and
Coz ]¨: supply from verse 8 .
So, at the end of verse 13 supply ' Meonothai ¨ from verse 14 .
Also, in chap. vi., at end of verse 27 , supply ' Samuel his son ' from verse 28 .
*
In chap. vii. at end of verse 18 supply ' and Shemidah ¨ from verse 19 .
In chap. viii. at end of verse 7 add ' and Shaharaim ¨ from verse 8 .
In chap. xxv. at end of verse 3 add ' and Shimei ¨ from verse 17 , where he is named.
In verse 3 only five out of the six are named. In the A.V. and R.V. Shimei`s name is
supplied in the margin.
Neh. 5:2 . 'For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, [ being ] many, [
are mortgaged ],¨ supply from verses 3 , 4 , 5 .
Job 20:17 . Here the word 'floods¨ means, as in the margin and R.V. , streaming or
flowing, and belongs to the word 'brooks.¨ But it must be repeated also before the word
* In this verse there is a strange confusion. Samuel`s or Shemuel`s firstborn was Joel, see
verse 33 . Vashni ( ) is not a proper name, but means 'the second.¨ And the verse
reads, 'And the sons of Samuel, the firstborn [ Joel , verse 33 ], the second Abiah.¨ See 1
Sam. 8:2 , and see also above, page 5 .
rivers, thus:'He shall not see the flowing rivers, the flowing brooks of honey and
butter.¨
Job 38:19 . The Ellipsis is to be supplied thus:'Where is the way [ to the place
where ] light dwelleth? and as for darkness, where is the place thereof?¨
Ps. 35:16 . 'With hypocritical mockers in feasts,¨ i.e. , repeating the latter words of the
former sentence.
'With hypocrites [ at feasts ], mocking at the feast,¨ i.e. , like parasites who, for the
sake of their belly, flatter others.
Prov. 13:1 . 'A wise son heareth his father`s instruction: but a scorner heareth not
rebuke.¨ Here the Ellipsis is plain, and is correctly supplied in the A.V.
Isa. 19:11 . 'How say ye unto [ the wise ] Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise?¨ etc.
Isa. 31:5 . 'As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem.¨
Here the word 'birds¨ is feminine. It refers therefore to female birds, and to maternal
love: 'As mother-birds fluttering (see Deut. 32:11 ), or as fluttering birds [ defend their
young (from the next clause)] so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem.¨
One of the words for defend is , ( pahs k ), from ( pasak ), Passover .
( pasak ) means primarily to halt (see Isa. 35:6 . Lev. 21:18 . 2 Sam. 4:4 ). So 1
Kings 18:21 , 'How long halt ye ( ) between two opinions?¨ Heb., as birds hop
backwards and forwards on two boughs . Hence in Ex. 12:13 , it is not 'when I see the
blood, I will pass over you;¨ but, it is , 'I will halt or stop at you, and the
plague shall not be upon you,¨ i.e. , Jehovah will stop or halt at ( ) the door and not
suffer the destroyer to enter. So the precious blood of Christ stops the hand of justice, and
is a perfect defence to the sinner who is sheltered by it.
Hab. 2:3 . 'For the vision [ is deferred ] for an appointed time,¨ which word is clearly
implied in the following sentence. See also Mal. 1:10 .
Luke 1:17 . 'And [ the hearts of the ] disobedient to the wisdom of the just.¨
Luke 22:36 . The Greek reads, 'He that hath not, let him sell his garment and buy a
sword.¨ Here the A.V. boldly, correctly, and idiomatically supplies the Ellipsis in the first
member from the following sentence:'He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment
and buy one¨ (see on Luke 22:37 above).
John 6:32 . 'Moses gave you not that bread from heaven,¨ i.e. , 'that [ true ] bread,¨
from the succeeding clause: 'But my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.¨
John 6:35 . 'I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he
that believeth on me shall never thirst.¨ The exquisite English of this can never be
improved. As an idiomatic version it is perfect. The R.V. in attempting a more literal
translation is very lame: 'not hunger¨ and 'never thirst.¨ If we are to be literal, we must
supply the Ellipsis by repeating the word ( p pote ), at any time , from the end of
the verse. Both Versions practically ignore it by including it in the word 'never.¨
'He that cometh to me shall in no wise hunger [ at any time ]; and he that believeth
on me shall in no wise thirst at any time,¨ i.e. , 'never,¨ as expressed thus in both
sentences in the A.V.
It is very instructive to note that the negative here is most emphatic, a doubled
negative, which signifies, by no means, in no wise, in no case; and it is very solemn to
notice that whenever it was used by man, man was never able to make good his
asseveration, e.g., Peter , in Matt. 16:22 , said, 'This shall not be unto thee,¨ but it was.
Again in 26:35 he said, 'Yet will I not deny thee,¨ and in Mark 14:31 , 'I will not deny
thee in any wise,¨ but Peter did deny the Lord Jesus! His enemies , in John 11:56 ,
declared, 'He will not come to the feast,¨ but He did! Peter , in John 13:8 , declared,
'Thou shalt never wash my feet,¨ but Jesus did! Thomas , in John 20:25 , declared, 'I
will not believe,¨ but he did, and that without fulfilling his condition!
*
On the other
hand, how sure, how true, how certain are the declarations of the Lord Jesus when made
with this same positiveness. Among others note:
Matt. 5:18 . 'One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be
fulfilled.¨
Matt. 5:20 . 'Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes
and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.¨
Luke 22:34 . 'The cock shall not crow this day.¨ John 13:38 .
John 6:37 . 'Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out,¨ i.e. , no never,
no never cast out.
Heb. 8:12 . 'Their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more,¨ i.e. , in no
wise will I remember any more.
Heb. 13:5 . 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.¨
1 Pet. 2:6 . 'He that believeth on him shall not be confounded.¨
*
* In all this we have a solemn warning to let our yea be yea, and our nay nay ( Matt. 5:37
).
*
John 9:2 . 'And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man [ that
he is blind ], or his parents, that he was born blind?¨ (See above, page 101 ).
John 12:25 . 'He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this
world shall keep it unto life eternal.¨
Here two expressions are to be repeated from the latter clause, in the former:'He
that loveth his life [ in this world ] shall lose it [ unto eternity ].¨
Acts 2:3 . 'And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon
each of them,¨ i.e., the Holy Spirit , as is clear from the next verse.
The verse may be rendered:'And there appeared unto them, distributed, tongues
like as of fire; and he [ the Holy Ghost ] sat (or dwelt) upon each of them.¨ The tongues
were not divided into two parts, as suggested by the popular term 'cloven tongues,¨ but
they were divided, or distributed, among the Twelve.
Acts 7:59 . 'And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God , and saying, Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit.¨
The Greek reads, 'calling upon and saying.¨ There is evidently an Ellipsis after the
verb 'calling upon,¨ which the A.V. supplies with the word ' God .¨ The R.V. supplies
the word ' Lord .¨
The meaning is clear, that Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost addressed his prayer
to Christ, and his words were 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.¨ Both words must therefore
be repeated thus:'calling upon the Lord Jesus and saying [ Lord Jesus ] receive my
spirit.¨ By this Ellipsis the emphasis is thrown on the act of invocation and shows that
this act of prayer was addressed to the Lord Jesus, i.e. , Lord, who art Jesus: or, Jesus
who art the Lord.
Where two substantives are placed together in the same gender, number and case, the
latter is in apposition to, and is explanatory of the former; or, there is an Ellipsis of the
words of explanation, 'that is to say,¨ or 'that is.¨ Sometimes this is supplied by the A.V.
and sometimes it is not. See Deut. 22:8 , 'a damsel that is a virgin.¨ Judges 11:1 , margin,
' a woman an harlot .¨ Gen. 13:8 , margin, ' men brethren .¨ Num. 32:14 , 'an increase
of sinful men,¨ the Hebrew reads:'an increase of men who are sinners.¨ Matt. 18:23 ,
'a certain King¨; Greek, 'a man that is a King,¨ as in 20:1 , where the Ellipsis is
For other examples see John 4:14 ; 8:12 ; 10:28 . Rom. 4:8 . 1 Thess. 4:15 ; 5:3 . Heb.
10:17 . 2 Pet. 1:10 . Rev. 3:12 , etc.
All these are the immutable promises and purposes of the living God, and though we
are to 'cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils,¨ the word of the Lord endureth
for ever. See further under the figure called Repeated Negation , below.
supplied, 'a man that is an householder.¨ Luke 2:15 , margin, 24:19 , 'a prophet¨; Greek,
'a man that is a prophet.¨ Acts 2:29 , 'men and brethren¨; Greek, 'Men who are
brethren,¨ and verse 22 , 'men of Israel¨; Greek, 'men who are Israelites.¨ So here, Acts
7:59 , 'Lord, who art Jesus¨compare Rev. 22:20 .
Rom. 2:12 . 'For as many as have sinned without law, shall perish also without [ being
judged by ] law: and as many as have sinned in the law (or under law) shall be judged by
the law.¨
Rom. 2:28 , 29 is an elliptical passage in the Greek, which the A.V. covers by a free
translation.
Adhering to the order and literal meaning of the words in the original, we must
translate and supply as follows:
'For not he that [ is a Jew ] outwardly, is a Jew, neither that which [ is circumcision ]
outwardly in the flesh, is circumcision; but he that [ is a Jew ] inwardly, is a dew, and
circumcision of heart in the spirit and not in the letter [ is circumcision ].¨
Rom. 4:13 . This verse is translated very freely in the A.V. Following the R.V. , we
may supply the Ellipsis from the end of the verse, which it has missed:'For not through
[ righteousness of ] law was the promise [ made ] to Abraham, or to his seed, that he
should be the heir of the world, but through righteousness of faith.¨
Rom. 5:16 . 'Also not as [ the judgment or sentence came ] through one that sinned [ is
] the free gift: for the judgment ( ) [ was ] after one [ transgression ] unto
condemnation ( ); but the free gift is after many offences unto ( i.e. ,
a righteous acquittal).¨ (See below, page 111 ).
N.B.It is not ( dikaiosunee ) which is the attribute of righteousness; nor
is it ( dikaiösis ) which is the act of the Judge in justifying; but it is (
dikai ma ) which is the outcome of the act, the just thing done.
1 Cor. 1:26 , 27 . 'For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called , but God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise,¨ etc.
Here the words ' are called ¨ are repeated from the preceding clause, but ' are
chosen,” i.e., to confound , etc., might be supplied from the succeeding clause. (See
above page 58 ).
1 Cor. 5:4 , 5 . we must supply in verse 4 the verb 'to deliver¨ from verse 5 :
'[ To deliver ] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (ye, and my spirit, being gathered
together, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ), to deliver [ I say ] such an one unto
Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord
Jesus.¨
1 Cor. 6:12 . 'All [ meats (from verse 13 )] are lawful unto me [ to eat ], but all are not
profitable; (see 10:33 ) all [ meats ] are lawful for me [ to eat ], but I will not be brought
under the power of any [ meat ]. Compare 10:23 .
1 Cor. 14:22 . 'But prophesying [ is for a sign (from previous sentence)] not for them
that believe not, but for them which believe.¨
1 Cor. 15:47 . 'The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man, the Lord from
heaven, [ is heavenly (from verse 48 ).¨ See above on Acts 7:59 , as to these two nouns,
'the second man [ who is ] the Lord.¨
2 Cor. 5:10 . 'That every one may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether good or bad.¨
Here the verb ' done ¨ is correctly supplied from the succeeding clause.
Eph. 2:1 . There is evidently an Ellipsis in this verse; which has been variously
supplied by translators; the usual mode being to Supply the words from a succeeding
clause (verse 5 ) as in the A.V. So in the R.V. , 'did he quicken.¨ But it is worth
consideration whether it may not be supplied from 1:19 , 20 , 'the exceeding greatness of
his power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which
he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead .. and you [ when you were
raised in Him, and quickened with Him ] were dead in trespasses and sins,¨ etc.
It may also be supplied by repeating the verb from 1:23 , 'Which is his body, the
fulness of him which filleth all [ his saints ] with all [ spiritual gifts ]. And you [ hath he
thus filled ] who were dead in trespasses and sins '(chap. 2:1 ): , 'and
you when ye were,¨ must be compared with verse 5 , , 'and we when
we were.¨ This points to the use of the verb 'quickened¨ in each case.
Phil. 3:13 . 'Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended [ the prize (from verse
14 )]: but this one thing I do , forgetting those things which are behind [ me ], and
reaching forth unto those things which are before [ me ], etc.¨
2 Tim. 1:5 . 'When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee.¨
There is no verb in the Greek, and the words that is should have been placed in italics
. The Greek reads, 'Taking remembrance of the unfeigned faith [ dwelling in thee (from
the succeeding clause)], which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother
Eunice, and I am persuaded that [ it dwelleth ] in thee also.¨ Here it is repeated from the
preceding clause.
Tit. 2:2 . 'That the aged men be sober, grave, etc.¨ Supply the verb ' exhort ¨ from
verse 6 here, and also in verses 4 and 9 :'[ Exhort ] that the aged men be sober, etc.¨
Heb. 8:1 . 'We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of
the Majesty in the heavens,¨ i.e. , 'such a high priest [ as became us ]¨ (from 7:26 ).
II. Complex: Where both Clauses are Involved
An abbreviated form of expression, in which an Ellipsis in the first of two members has
to be supplied from the second, and at the same time an Ellipsis in the second member
has to be supplied from the first.
Simple Ellipsis puts one member, and leaves the other to be inferred.
Complex Ellipsis puts two members, and implies two others, and these two are
interchanged. Hence this figure has been called ' Semiduplex Oratio ,¨ i.e. , semi-double
discourse.
1. Where SINGLE WORDS are involved
Prov. 10:1 . 'A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his
mother.¨
Here the word 'father¨ in the former clause is to be understood in the latter; and the
word 'mother¨ in the latter clause is to be understood in the former. For a wise son is a
joy to a mother as well as to a father, and a foolish son is a heaviness to a father as well
as to a mother.
See also chaps. 15:20 ; 17:25 ; 23:24 ; 30:17 .
Matt. 23:29 . 'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the
tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous.¨
Here the word 'build¨ refers also to the 'sepulchres¨ of the latter clause; and the
word 'garnish¨ refers also to the word 'tombs¨ of the former clause.
I.e. , ye not only build the tombs of the prophets, but ye garnish them: ye not only
garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, but ye build them.
Rom. 5:16 . 'And not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift: for the judgment was
by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.¨
There is evidently an Ellipsis here, as is shown by the italics employed in the A.V.
and the R.V. But the question is, Is the omission correctly supplied? We submit the
following, treating the first clause as a complex Ellipsis:
'And not, as [ the judgment came ] by one that sinned, [ does ] the free gift [ come by
one who was righteous ]: for the judgment [ was death ] after one [ offence ] to
condemnation, but the free gift [ is pardon ] after many offences, unto justification;¨ i.e. ,
Adam brought the judgment of death by one sin, Christ by bearing that judgment, brought
life and pardon for many sins. (See above, page 108 ).
Rom. 10:10 . 'With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.¨
Here 'righteousness¨ is to be understood in the latter clause, as well as 'salvation¨;
and 'salvation¨ is to be understood in the former clause, as well as 'righteousness.¨
Moreover 'confession¨ must be made with the heart as well as with the mouth; and
righteousness includes salvation. The full completion of the sense is:'With the heart
man believeth unto righteousness [ and salvation ] and with [ the heart and ] the mouth
confession is made unto [ righteousness and ] salvation.¨
2. Where SENTENCES are involved
Ps. 1:6 . 'For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly
shall perish.¨
In the former sentence we have the cause , in the latter the effect . But both effect and
cause are latent in each statement: 'The LORD knoweth the way of the righteous [ and it
shall not perish ], but [ the LORD knoweth ] the way of the ungodly [ and it ] shall perish.¨
Ps. 42:8 . 'The LORD will command his loving kindness in the daytime and in the
night his song shall be with me.¨
Here the Ellipsis is insufficiently supplied by the words, ' shall be .¨ The Ellipsis is
complex, and to be understood thus:The LORD will command his loving kindness [ and
his song with me ] in the daytime, and in the night also [ he will command his loving
kindness and ] his song.
Isa. 32:3 . 'And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, [ and they shall see ]: and
the ears of them that hear shall [ not be dull, but ] hearken.¨
John 5:21 . 'For like as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so
the Son quickeneth whom he will.¨
Here the Ellipsis is treated as being Simple, instead of Complex, and is supplied by
the word ' them .¨ But the words 'raiseth up the dead¨ in the former clause are latent in
the latter, while the words 'whom he will¨ in the latter clause are latent in the former,
thus:
'For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth [ whom he will ]; even so the
Son [ raiseth up the dead, and ] quickeneth whom he will].¨
Or according to the Greek, 'So THE SON also.¨
John 8:28 . 'I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these
things;¨ i.e. , 'Of myself I do nothing [ nor speak ]; but I speak these things as the Father
hath taught me, [ and I do them ].¨
See a similar illustration in verse 38 .
John 14:10 . 'The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father
that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.¨
This complex Ellipsis must be understood as follows:'The words which I speak
unto you, I speak not of myself, [ but the Father that dwelleth in me, he speaketh them ]:
and [ the works which I do, I do not of myself ], but the Father that dwelleth in me, he
doeth the works.¨
John 17:26 . 'And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the
love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them,¨ i.e. , 'And I have
declared to them thy name, and will declare [ thy love ]: that the love wherewith thou hast
loved me may be in them, and I [ and my love ] may be in them.¨
Rom. 6:4 . 'Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ
was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father,¨ etc.
The complex Ellipsis here may be thus worked out: 'Therefore we are buried with
him by His baptism-unto-death [ and raised again from the dead ], that like as Christ was
[ buried and ] raised again from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life.¨ (See pages 18 , 19 , on the context of this passage).
Heb. 12:20 . 'And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or
thrust through with a dart.¨ In Ex. 19:13 , the text is, 'There shall not a hand touch it, for
he shall surely be stoned or shot through with a dart; whether it be man or beast, he shall
not live.¨
Here the man was to be stoned and the beast shot. In the MSS. words have been
gratuitously inserted by transcribers to make sense, in ignorance of the complex Ellipsis.
The sense is made clear thus:
'And if so much as [ a man or ] a beast touch the mountain[ if a man touch ] it, he
shall be stoned [ and if a beast touch it, it shall be ] thrust through with a dart.¨
FALSE ELLIPSIS
THERE are not only many instances where the Ellipses which exist in the original have
been incorrectly supplied in the translation: but there are cases also of italics being
inserted, where there is really no Ellipsis in the original.
In these cases the italics have been necessitated by the faulty translation, and not by
the Text.
We give a few examples, arising from various causes:
Gen 37:12 , 13 . 'And his brethren went to feed their father`s flock in Shechem. And
Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem?¨
The Massorah gives the words rendered 'their father`s flock¨ as one of the fifteen
dotted words,
*
i.e. , words which ought to be cancelled in reading, though they have not
been removed from the Text. If these words are removed, then the inference is that they
had gone to feed themselves and make merry, and the words ' the flock ¨ in verse 13
need not be inserted in italics.
Num. 16:1 . The last word ' men ¨ is necessitated by having put the verb 'took¨ out of
its place. There is no Ellipsis. The verse reads that 'Korah . and Dathan and Abiram .
and On took the sons of Reuben.¨ Or that Korah . took Dathan . and Abiram . and
On, the son of Peleth, the son
f
of Reuben.
Deut. 29:29 . 'The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which
are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of
this law.¨
The italics thus supplied make excellent sense in English, but this is not the sense of
the Hebrew.
The Massorah gives the words, 'to the LORD our God,¨ as being one of fifteen
examples in which the words are dotted and which are therefore to be cancelled in
reading.
|
If these words be removed the sense will be, 'The secret things and the
revealed things are for us and for our children for ever, that we may do all the words of
this law,¨ i.e. , the secret things which have not been, but will yet be revealed. Compare
chap. 30:1114 .
Deut. 32:34 , 35 . Here, in verse 35 , the word ' belongeth ¨ is inserted in italic type
through reading the Hebrew ( lee ) as being the preposition and pronoun ' to me .¨ But
the ( yod ) is really the abbreviation of the word ( y m ) day ,
*
as is clear from the
Targum of Onkelos, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and the Septuagint translation Taking,
then, ( lee ) as being an abbreviation of ( l’yom ) for the day , the four lines form
* See Ginsburg`s Introduction , pp. 320, 325. Also The Massorah , by the same author
and publisher.
f According to the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Septuagint Version and a few MSS.
| See Ginsburg`s Introduction , pp. 370, 572.
* See Ginsburg`s Introduction , Part II., chap. v., pp. 165170.
an alternate correspondence: the first line reading on consecutively with the third, and the
second with the fourth, thus:
a Is not this laid up in store with me,
b Sealed up in my treasuries
a For the day of vengeance and recompense,
b For the time when their foot shall slip?
Here, b is in a parenthesis with respect to a and a , while a is in a parenthesis with
respect to b and b ; and the passage really reads thus as regards the actual sense; 'Is not
this laid up in store with me for the day of vengeance and recompense:
'Sealed up in my treasuries for the time when their foot shall slide?¨
The word ( l’y m ), for the day , corresponds with ( l’ath ), for the time .
The R.V. renders the last two lines, 'Vengeance is mine and recompense, at the time
when their foot shall slide.¨
Josh. 24:17 . 'For the LORD our God, He it is that brought us up and our fathers out of
the land of Egypt.¨ Here the two words ' it is ¨ are supplied in italics, because it is not
observed that there is an Homœoteleuton
§
( q.v. ) in the Hebrew Text; i.e. , the Scribe
having written the word 'He¨ omitted the next word ' is God,¨ his eye going back to a
second 'He¨ which follows it. This is clear from the fact that the words ' is God¨ are
preserved in the Septuagint translation.
The passage therefore reads, 'For the LORD our God, He is God, He brought us up,
etc.,¨ thus emphasizing the pronoun 'He¨ by Repetition ( q.v. ).
1 Sam. 24:9 , 10 . 'David said to Saul . some bade me kill thee, but mine eye spared
thee.¨ The Hebrew Text as it now stands is ( vattachas ) but she spared thee . This
yields no sense, so the A.V. and R.V. have followed the Vulgate and inserted ' mine eye
¨ in italics. But Dr. Ginsburg points out
*
that in all probability in the transcription of the
Text from the ancient Phonician characters into the square characters, (which is ) was
mistaken for (which is ) and so , she spared , was written instead of , I
spared . There can be no question that this was the primitive reading as it is preserved in
the LXX. Chaldee, and Syriac.
§ See Ginsburg`s Introduction , Part II. chap. vi. pp. 171182.
* Introduction , pp. 291, 292.
2 Sam. 1:18 . 'He bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it
is written in the book of dasher.¨
Here the words supplied are manifestly incorrect. It should be, 'He commanded them
to teach the children of Judah The Bow,` or [ this Song of ] The Bow,` behold, it is
written in the book of Jashar,¨ i.e., the upright , a book of national songs, probably, but of
which nothing is known. It is clear that this song of David`s had not already been written
in that book, but he gave directions that it should be there written. See also Josh. 10:13 .
2 Sam. 1:21 . 'For there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul,
as though he had not been anointed with oil.¨
The italics are wrongly supplied through not knowing that ( b’lee ) not should be
f
( k’lee ) weapons .
With this emendation the verse reads:
'For there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away,
The shield of Saul, the weapons anointed with oil,¨
or, 'The weapons of him anointed with oil.¨
1 Kings 20:33 . 'Now the men did diligently observe whether anything would come
from him, and did hastily catch it.¨
The A.V. is a loose paraphrase. The R.V. indicates the difficulty. In the Eastern
Recension the words are divided differently from the Textus Receptus ,
|
and should be
rendered,
'Now the men divined and hasted [ i.e. , by Hendiadys ( q.v. ) quickly divined ( his
drift )] and they pressed whether it was from him, and they said, etc.¨
Neh. 4:12 . 'They said unto us ten times, from all places whence ye shall return unto
us, [ they will be upon you ],¨ margin, ' that from all places ye must return to us .¨
f
This is the reading of the first Edition of the Hebrew Bible, Soncino, 1488; also of the
Syriac and Arabic Versions, and the Chaldee paraphrase. The mistake of for could be
easily made.
See Ginsburg`s Introduction , p. 144.
| See Ginsburg`s Introduction , p. 438.
The R.V. puts the margin of A.V. in the Text, and the Text in the margin.
It appears that it is not a case in which the apodosis is to be supplied, but it may be
taken literally. 'They said unto us ten times, From all places ye shall return unto us.¨
Ps. 1:4 . 'The ungodly are not so.¨ Lit., 'Not so the ungodly.¨
The structure of the Psalm shows that
Verse 1 corresponds with verse 5 .
Verse 2 corresponds with verse 4 .
Verse 3 corresponds with verse 4 .
Verses 13 concerning the godly.
Verses 4 and 5 the ungodly.
Thus:
present.
A 13 . The godly
B 4 , 5 . The ungodly
future.
A 6 . The godly
B 6 . The ungodly
The first two may be expanded thus:
The godly.
A a 1 . Their blessing (not standing with the ungodly now)
Their way.
b 2 . Their character
c 3 . Comparison
The ungodly.
Their way.
B b 4 . Their character
c 4 . Comparison
a 5 . Their punishment (not standing with the godly in the judgment)
Therefore verse 4 corresponds with verse 2 ; and verse 2 must be understood , if not
supplied, thus:'Not so the ungodly: their delight is not in the law of the LORD , neither
do they meditate in His law, etc.¨
For the Ellipsis in verse 5 see page 82 .
Ps. 2:12 . 'And ye perish from the way.¨ R.V. 'and ye perish in the way.¨
There is no ' in ¨ or ' from ¨ in the Hebrew: it is literally, 'and ye lose the way.¨ To
lose the way is a Hebrew idiom for perishing , or being lost . It ought either to be
translated literally, 'and ye lose the way,¨ or idiomatically, ' and ye be lost , ¨ or, ' and
ye perish .¨ Psalm 1 ends with the perishing of ' the way , ¨ and Psalm 2 ends with the
perishing of those who refuse to walk in it , by submitting themselves to the Son. ' Kiss ,
¨ Ps. 2:12 , is the same as ' be ruled by ¨ in Gen. 41:40 , margin.
Ps. 10:3 . 'For the wicked boasteth of his heart`s desire, and blesseth the covetous
whom the LORD abhorreth.¨ Margin, 'and the covetous blesseth himself, he abhorreth the
Lord .¨
The struggles of the Revisers to make sense of the present Hebrew Text may be seen
in their rendering:
'For the wicked boasteth of his heart`s desire, and the covetous renounceth, yea ,
contemneth the LORD .¨ Margin, 'and blesseth the covetous, but revileth the LORD .¨
The simple fact is that this is one of the passages altered by the Sopherim through a
mistaken reverence, in order to avoid the uttering of the words involving a curse on
Jehovah. But in this case, having altered 'he blasphemeth¨ into 'he blesseth,¨ the word
'blesseth¨ they did not remove it from the text. Hence both words now stand in the
printed text, which is as follows:
'For the wicked boasteth of his heart`s desire; and the robber blesseth, blasphemeth
the LORD .¨
*
If we simply remove the word 'blesseth,¨ we have the primitive text without more
ado, and have no need to supply any Ellipsis .
Ps. 19:3 . ' There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.¨
Here the word ' where ¨ seems to be unnecessarily supplied. The R.V. omits it. The
sense appears to be, as expressed in the margin, ' without these their voice is heard.¨ That
is to say, with regard to the heavens '[ they have ] no speech nor language; their voice is
* See Ginsburg`s Introduction , p. 365.
not heard,¨ and yet they do utter speech, they do declare knowledge; and their words go
forth through all the earth.
f
Ps. 27:13 . ' I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the
land of the living.¨
The words, ' I had fainted ,¨ both in the A.V. and R.V. , are an arbitrary addition in
order to make sense.
The difficulty arises from disregarding the fact that the word 'unless¨ is dotted in the
printed text, and should be cancelled in reading. It is cancelled in the LXX. Syriac and
Vulgate, and the clause should be rendered:
'I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.¨
*
Ps. 68:16 . 'Why leap ye, ye high hills? This is the hill which God desireth to dwell
in.¨
Here, by taking ( ratzad ) as meaning to leap , the sense has been obscured, and
then the attempt is made to clear it by the use of the italics.
occurs only here, and is an Arabic word, which means to look askance at , or to
envy , and the verse reads naturally: 'Why do ye envy, O ye high hills, the hill God
desired for His seat?¨ i.e. , Sinai, see verse 17 . The R.V. agrees with this.
Ps. 69:4 . 'They that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully.¨
The Syriac supplies a letter ( ), thus giving the reading, ' more than my bones ,¨
instead of 'they that would destroy me being ,¨ etc. So that the verse reads:
'They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;
'They that are mine enemies falsely are more than my bones.¨
Ps. 69:20 ( 21 ). 'I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for
comforters, but I found none.¨
Translated more closely with the Chaldee, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, we may
dispense with the italics:
'I looked for a sympathizer, but there was none. And for comforters, but I found
none.¨
f See The Witness of the Stars (by the same author and publisher), pp. 46.
* See Ginsburg`s Introduction , p. 333.
Ps. 75:5 ( 6 ). 'Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.¨
Here, owing to the fact that quiescent letters are sometimes inserted and sometimes
omitted in the Heb. text, the ( aleph ) is inserted in the word ( b’tzur ) rock ,
making it ( b’tzavvahr ) neck . The LXX. evidently read it as rock , without the
aleph , and the passage ought to read without the italics:
'Do not exalt your horn toward heaven, nor speak arrogantly of the Rock.¨
Ps. 118:5 . 'I called upon JAH in distress: Jehovah answered me, and set me in a large
place.¨ According to the Western Recension of the Heb. text (which the Textus Receptus
follows) ( Bammerchavyah ) is one word, and means in a large place , and
hence, with freedom or with deliverance (compare Hos. 4:16 , Ps. 31:8 ). But according to
the Eastern Recension the reading is presented in two words ,
*
and the verse
should be rendered:
'I called upon JAH in my distress. He answered me with the deliverance of JAH .¨
It will be noted that both the A.V. and R.V. ignore the Textus Receptus , and not only
divide the word into two, but remove it from the end to the beginning of the line.
Consequently they have to supply the sense with the italics, ' and set me .¨
Ps. 126:3 . ' Whereof we are glad.¨ Here the word ' whereof ¨ is unnecessary.
The structure gives:
a 2 . Our gladness.
b 2 . The LORD`S great things.
b 3 . The LORD`S great things.
a 3 . Our gladness.
Or fully thus:
a 2 . Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing.
b 2 . Then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for
them.
b 3 . The LORD hath done great things for us:
a 3 . We are glad.
* See Ginsburg`s Introduction , pp. 385, 386.
It will be seen how a answers to a, and b to b.
Ps. 127:2 . ' It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows;
for so he giveth his beloved sleep.¨
Here the word ' for ¨ is unnecessarily introduced, creating a confusion of thought and
hiding the meaning. Translated correctly, the sense is perfect without any human
addition. The word 'so,¨ is thus, in this manner . It refers to what follows, viz. , to the
Lord`s way of giving in contrast to man`s way of 'works.¨ God`s spiritual blessings are
not obtained by incessant labourrising early and sitting up late, nor by painful and
sorrowful effort. 'Thus He giveth¨this is the way He giveth to His belovedHow?
'sleeping¨ or while they sleep. ( sheynah ) is an adverbial accusative, meaning ' in
sleep .¨
It was in this way He gave His wondrous gifts to Solomon. His name was ( ) '
Yedidiah , ¨ i.e., beloved of Jehovah ( 2 Sam. 12:25 ). The word here is also Yedeed,
i.e., beloved . And this Psalm relates to Solomon, as we learn from the Title. Solomon
knew by a blessed experience how God gave to him His richest blessings while he was
'sleeping¨ ( 1 Kings 3:315 ). Even so He gave to Adam a Bride ( Gen. 2:21 , 22 ); to
Abram, the everlasting Covenant ( Gen. 15:1216 ), and to Jedidiah 'His beloved,¨
wisdom, riches and honour. 'Thus He giveth to His beloved while they sleep¨ when they
are helpless and are unable to put forth any effort of works, by which to earn the blessing,
and in which the flesh might glory before God. ( 1 Cor. 1:29 .)
How wondrously He gives! E`en while we sleep
When we from all our 'works¨ have ceased, and rest;
And He our life doth mercifully keep,
Then, without works, are His beloved blest.
*
Yes! 'His beloved¨! lovèd not because
Of any work which we have ever done;
f
But loved in perfect grace, 'without a cause¨:
|
* Rom. 11:6 .
f Tit. 3:5 .
| Rom. 3:24 . 'Being justified freely by His grace.¨ The word 'freely¨ here is the same
word ( ) d rean as in John 15:25 , where it is rendered 'without a cause.¨ ('They
hated me without a cause¨). There was absolutely no cause why our blessed Lord Jesus
This is the source whence all our blessings come.
He gives in sleep! In vain we toil and strive
And rise up early and so late take rest:
But, while our powers in sweetest sleep revive,
And we abandon all our anxious quest
Then He bestows His gifts of grace on us,
And where we`ve never sown, He makes us reap
A harvest, full of richest blessing. 'Thus
He gives to His belovèd while they sleep.¨
Song Sol. 8:6 . 'For love is strong as death: jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals
thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.¨ This last sentence is the
rendering of one word in the Textus Receptus ( Shalhebethyah ), but,
according to the Eastern Recension, and several early editions, it is divided into two
words, ' the flames of Jah .¨ Hence the sense is:
'Love is strong as death.
Affection is inexorable as Hades.
Its flames are flames of fire.
The flames of Jah.¨
§
The second and fourth lines are the intensification of the first and third.
The R.V. renders the last line, 'A very flame of the LORD .¨
Ezek. 22:20 . 'As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the
midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it: so will I gather you in mine anger
and in my fury, and I will leave you there and melt you.¨
It will be noticed that this last sentence is a non sequitur , both as to rhythm and
parallelism. The R.V. is no clearer: 'And I will lay you there.¨
was 'hated.¨ Even so it is with regard to our justification:'Being justified without a
cause by His grace.¨
§ See Ginsburg`s Introduction , p. 386.
The fact is that the letter ( Pe ) in ( v’hippachtee ), in the ancient and
primitive text was mistaken for ( nun ), (owing to the similarity of the Phonician
characters, when transcribed into the more modern square characters); and thus I will
blow became I will leave , and then the two words, ' you there ,¨ had to be supplied in
order to make sense.
*
The parallelism is thus beautifully perfect:
a As they gather .
b to blow .
c to melt it:
a So will I gather .
b and I will blow
c and melt you.
It will be seen how the words, 'I will leave,¨ mar this structure.
Hos. 4:7 . 'As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change
their glory into shame.¨
The word 'therefore¨ is inserted by the translators; who did not know that this is one
of the eighteen emendations of the Sopherim
f
by which the primitive text, 'my glory,¨
by the change of one letter ( for ) became 'their glory,¨ and the first person became
the third. The original text stood:
'As they increased, so they sinned against me:
They have changed my glory into shame;
They eat up,¨ etc.
A like alteration was made in Jer. 2:11 , and very anciently; for it is followed by the
LXX. , the ancient versions, and A.V. and R.V. It should be 'my glory,¨ not 'their
glory.¨
Jonah 3:9 . 'Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce
anger, that we perish not?¨
Here it is not necessary to put the word ' if ¨ in italics. The Hebrew idiom, in the
formula or expression ( mee y deah ) means who knoweth? in the sense of no
* See Ginsburg`s Introduction , p. 294.
f See Appendix E : and Ginsburg`s Introduction , p. 357.
one knows whether, or no one knows but that (see Ps. 90:11 . Ecc. 2:19 ; 3:21 ; 6:12 ; 8:1
. Joel 2:14 ). The R.V. translates Jonah 3:9 as the A.V. renders Ecc. 2:19 , 'who knoweth
whether¨ (without italics).
Ralph Venning
*
beautifully expresses the theology of this and similar passages
f
in
the following lines:
'But stay! Is God like one of us? Can He,
When He hath said it, alter His decree?
Denouncèd judgment God doth oft prevent,
But neither changeth counsel nor intent;
The voice of heaven doth seldom threat perdition,
But with express or an implied condition:
So that, if Nineveh return from ill,
God turns His hand: He doth not turn His will.¨
Mal. 3:9 . 'Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole
nation.¨ This must be added to the eighteen emendations of the Sopherim.
|
The primitive text was, 'Ye have cursed me with a curse.¨ The active was changed
into the passive by putting for .
Matt. 20:23 . 'To sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall
be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.¨
This supply of the Ellipsis has caused much confusion. The R.V. also unnecessarily
inserts 'but it is for them for whom it is prepared of my Father.¨
The passage reads:'To sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give but
[ it is already given ] to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.¨
Mark 11:13 . 'And seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might
find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time
of figs was not yet .¨
* Orthodox Paradoxes , 16501660 A.D.
f Such as 2 Chron. 34:1921 . Isa. 39:5 , 8 .
| See Appendix E : and Ginsburg`s Introduction , p. 363.
Here, want of accuracy in the translation has created a difficulty, and the word ' yet ¨
has been added, in order to meet it. Want of attention to the full meaning of the Greek has
led to alterations of the Text itself by various copyists: for man is always ready to assume
anything to be at fault, except his own understanding.
The last clause, by the figure of HYPERBATON ( q.v. ), is put out of its grammatical
order; for the purpose of calling attention to it, and to complete the structure (see below).
Naturally, it would follow the word 'thereon.¨ The word 'for¨ introduces the explanation
of 'if haply.¨ It does not give the reason why He found nothing, but the reason why it
was doubtful.
The R.V. translates literally, 'for it was not-the season of figs:¨ but still leaves the
difficulty of Jesus going to find figs when it was not the fig-season.
There are two or three points to be noted:
The word ( kairos ) means not 'time,¨ which is ( chronos ), but a
limited portion of time , and always with the idea of suitability; hence, the right time,
proper season, stated season , when the thing referred to comes to a head, or crisis.
Hence, applied to a tree, it denotes the ordinary and regular fruit-season of that tree.
*
The Passover did not occur at the proper fig-season; but figs remained on the trees (dried)
right through the winter. These, which could generally be found, were called ( pag ).
The name is preserved in the word Bethphage ( , for , house of figs ).
At the time of the Passover, such figs might well have been looked for.
The Lord went to see 'if consequently ( ) he might find anything thereon.¨ It
was 'if consequently,¨ because 'it was not the proper season of figs¨ ( , suka : not
, olunthoi , as the others were called, and for which He sought).
We must also remember that in the East all fruit trees were enclosed in gardens, and
had an owner. This tree, though, by the roadside ( Matt. 21:19 ) must have been enclosed,
and as it grew over the wall, passers by might partake of the fruit. But the owner had
probably shaken the fruit off, or gathered it himself, and hence deserved the judgment
which came upon him (see Lev. 19:9 , 10 ; 23:22 . Deut. 24:1921 ). This is one of the
two miracles of destruction wrought by Jesus: and we know that in the other case the
owners of the swine were justly punished.
The miracle has its prophetic teaching for us. In the preceding verse we read how
Jesus went into the temple, and 'looked round about upon all things,¨ and went out to
Bethany. In the morning He destroyed this tree on His way to the cleansing of the
Temple; after which (verse 17 ) He taught them, saying, 'Is it not written, My house shall
be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers¨ (
* It is interesting to note that in modern Greek, the word ( kairos ), season , has
come to mean ' weather ¨; while ( chronos ) time , is now used not merely of
time, but ' year .¨
R.V. ). The fruit of such a tree was for all who passed by ( Deut. 23:24 ): but it did not
answer its end, and it was destroyed. In like manner that House, which through the greed
of man had failed to fulfil its purpose, Would be destroyed as that fig-tree had been.
The verse then reads thus: 'And seeing a fig-tree afar off, having leaves, he went if
consequently anything [ i.e. ( olunthoi ), dried figs ] he should find on it:
for it was not the time of figs ( , suka ): and oncoming up to it, nothing found he
save leaves.¨ The explanatory clause (though it belongs to the former clause, as here
rendered) is put last to complete the structure which is as follows:
Structure of the passage ( Mark 11:13 ).
A And seeing a fig-tree afar off
B having leaves,
C a he came,
b if haply he might find anything thereon:
C a and when he came to it,
b he found nothing
B but leaves only,
A for it was not the proper season of figs.
The subjects correspond thus:
A Fig-tree.
B Leaves.
C a Coming.
b Finding.
C a Coming.
b Finding.
B Leaves.
A Figs.
John 8:6 . Here the A.V. has given an addition which pertains rather to the expositor
than to the Translator:
'But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground as though he heard
them not .¨
It is impossible to know all the motives of the Lord Jesus in this act; but, judging
from Eastern habits of to-day, there was a silent contempt and an impressive rebuke
implied in this inattention to their insincere charge.
Rom. 1:7 and 1 Cor. 1:2 'Called to be saints,¨.
Rom. 1:1 , and 1 Cor. 1:1 . 'Called to be an apostle.¨
It is a question whether there is any ellipsis here, or whether it is correctly supplied.
The Greek is ( kleetois hagiois ). But we have these same words in the
Septuagint translation of Lev. 23:2 , which throws light upon the expression. 'Speak unto
the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD , which ye
shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.¨ The LXX. translates
the words 'holy convocations,¨ ( kleetas hagias ), i.e. , assemblies by
special calling as holy to the Lord. Hence, in the New Testament expressions the
meaning is the same, i.e., saints by the calling of God, or by Divine calling: viz. , those
who have been Divinely selected and appointed as saints. So also of an apostle it denotes
one who has by a special calling of God been made an apostle. In other words, 'by
Divine calling, saints;¨ or 'by Divine calling, an apostle.¨
Rom. 12:3 . 'For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among
you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.¨
It is a question here, whether the thinking ought to be limited by the insertion of the
words ' of himself (
hyperphrone ) occurs only in this passage, and it means to think more than one ought ,
not merely of one`s self, but of anything. It denotes especially a highmindedness about
any subject , which makes one proud, arrogant, boastful or insolent. Indeed, there is in
this verse another figure, or peculiar form of words, called PAREGMENON ( q.v. ), where
several words of a common origin are used in the same sentence. This figure is used for
the purpose of calling our attention to the statement so as to emphasize it. The words can
be only inadequately expressed in translation: 'For I say, through the grace given unto
me, to every man that is among you,
hyperphronein ) than he ought to THINK ( phronein ), but to THINK (
, phronein ) so as to THINK -soberly ( s phronein ), according as
to each one [ of you ] God hath distributed [ his ] measure of faith.¨
The verses which follow show that God has dealt out spiritual gifts in different
measures (verse 6 ), and that he who has a larger measure than another is not on that
account to be proud, or to think on any subject beyond his own measure of faith.
2 Cor. 6:1 . 'We then, as workers together with him , beseech you also, &c.¨
The insertion of the words, ' with him ,¨ here, and in the R.V. also, gives a totally
false view of our position as workers. The sense is quite complete without any addition
whatever. We are not fellow-workers with God, but with our brethren; with you , not with
him , should be the words supplied, if any. The verse reads: 'But working together (or as
fellow-workers with you ), we exhort also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.¨
Gal. 3:24 . 'The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ.¨
Here there is no need to introduce the words, 'to bring us , ¨ the sense being complete
without them: ( eis ), unto , is used in its well-known sense of up to , or until . See
Phil. 1:10 , 'That ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.¨ Eph. 1:14
, 'Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession.¨
That is to say, until Christ came and brought justification by free, pure, and true
grace, the Law, like a tutor, kept them under restraint; and is here in entire contrast to that
liberty wherewith Christ hath made His people free (see chap. 5:1 , and John 8:36 . Rom.
8:2 ).
Gal. 3:20 . 'Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.¨
Here the A.V. and R.V. both repeat the noun mediator, which only introduces
confusion. The sense is clear without it.
'Now a mediator is not of one [ party ]:¨ i.e. , there must be two parties where there is
a mediator; for he is a person who stands between the two others. Now when God gave
the promise to Abram ( Gen. 15:921 ), there was only one party; for God caused Abram
to fall into a deep sleep, and He Himself 'was one¨the One who, alone, was thus the
one party to this glorious covenant; which is therefore unconditional, and must stand for
ever.
Heb. 2:16 . 'For verily he took not on him the nature of angels.¨
The Greek is, 'For verily he taketh not hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham he
taketh hold,¨ i.e. , to redeem them, hence he had to partake of the nature of Abraham`s
seed; but this is in verse 17 , not 16 .
Heb. 4:15 . 'But was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin,¨ i.e. , 'but
was tried according to all things, according to our likeness, apart from sin.¨
Heb. 12:2 . 'Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.¨ There is no
Ellipsis here, but both the A.V. and R.V. have supplied the word 'our,¨ which introduces
quite a different thought into the passage.
It is evident that it is not our faith, but faith itself.
In the preceding chapter we have many examples of faith. Each one exhibits some
particular aspect of faith in its perfection. For example; in Abel, we have the most perfect
example of faith in connection with worship: in Enoch the most perfect example of
faith`s walk: while in Noah, we have the most perfect example of faith`s witness , and so
on through the chapter; the historical order corresponding with the theological and
experimental order. Each is like a portrait in which some particular feature is perfect:
while the chapter concludes with two groups of portraits; the one illustrating faith`s
power to conquer (verses 3235 ), and the other illustrating faith`s power to suffer (verses
3638 ). Then chap. xii. continues, 'Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with
so great a cloud of witnesses
*
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking ( i.e. ,
, aphor ntes , looking away from ) unto.¨
Unlike these examples, which each had only one aspect of faith in perfection, Jesus
had every aspect perfect. His was a portrait in which every feature was perfect, for He is
the Beginner and Ender of faith. He leads the van and brings up the rear; He is the Sum
and the Substance of faith. It is not ' our ¨ faith of which Jesus is here the Author and
Finisher, but faith itself. The Greek goes on to say, 'looking off unto the author and
finisher of faithJesus.¨
Looking off from all these human examples, each of which after all exhibited only
one feature of faith, unto Him who is the perfect Prince
f
and Leader of all faithful ones
and the Author of faith itselfeven Jesus, 'who for the joy that was set before him
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God.¨
1 John 3:16 .'Hereby perceive we the love of God , because he laid down his life
for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.¨
This passage read without the italics is perfectly clear and beautiful:'Hereby
perceive we love,¨ i.e., what love really is! or 'Hereby have we got to know love¨
(perfect tense). For it was never known what love was, until HE Jesuslaid down His
life for us. The only Ellipsis here is in the definition of (
* I.e. , those who gave testimony or evidence by their words, their life or death. There is
no idea of eye-witnesses in this word, as though they were beholding or looking upon us.
The witnesses referred to are the examples of faith cited in chap. 11 .
( archeegos ) really an adjective, leading,
furnishing the first cause; then it means a leader , but it is more a chief leader; hence it is
sometimes rendered Prince. Originator, beginner, and author are all parts of its meaning.
It occurs only in Acts 3:15 , 'killed the Prince of life,¨ i.e. , the author and giver of life;
Acts 5:31 , 'exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour¨; Heb. 2:10 , 'to make the Captain of
their salvation perfect,¨ i.e. the author of their salvation. Hence, princely-leader is a
meaning which embraces all the others.
ekeinos ), that one , that blessed One, the Lord Jesus. All the more emphatic from its
being presupposed that He is so wonderful that there can be no possible doubt as to His
identity. Just as in 2 Tim. 1:12 : 'For I know whom (he does not say, in whom) I have
believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that (he does not say what) which He
has committed unto me against that day¨ ( R.V. margin), (he does not say what day)!
That which God had committed unto Paul was 'that goodly deposit¨the revelation of
the mystery concerning the Body of Christ. The word ( paratheeke ) occurs
only here (verse 14 ) and 1 Tim. 6:20 (according to the best texts). It was committed to
Timothy also, and he was to guard it by the Holy Spirit dwelling within him. And though
all might turn away from him and his teaching concerning it (verse 15 ), yet God would
guard it and care for it, and preserve it against that day.
2 Pet. 1:20 , 21 . 'Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any
private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time ( marg. , at any time ) by the
will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.¨
Here, there is no Ellipsis. The words ' as they were moved¨ merely represent the
participle 'being moved,¨ as in the R.V.
The confessed difficulty of this passage arises partly from the peculiar words
, epilusis ) occurs nowhere
else in the whole Bible, and only once or twice in secular Greek writings. Even the verb (
, epilu ) occurs only twice, viz. , Mark 4:34 , 'He expounded all things to his
disciples,¨ and Acts 19:39 , 'It shall be determined in a lawful assembly,¨ i.e., made
known in such an assembly. The verb means to untie, unloose , and hence to unfold or
disclose . This is its meaning in the only place where it occurs in the LXX. , Gen. 41:12 ,
of Joseph interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh`s servants. Here it is used as the translation
of the Heb. ( pathar ), to open, unfold , or disclose . Hence, the noun can mean only
an unfolding , or disclosure: just as when one Unties a parcel or bundle, and discloses
what is contained within it.
( idios ), which occurs 113
times. It is never translated 'private,¨ except here. Seventy-seven times it is rendered 'his
own¨ ( e.g. , 'his own servants,¨ Matt. 25:14 ; 'his own country,¨ John 4:44 ; 'his own
name,¨ John 5:43 ; 'his own sheep,¨ John 10:3 , 4 , etc.).
Then the verb 'is¨ is not the equivalent for the verb ' to be ,¨ but it is quite a different
verb( , ginomai ), which means to begin to be, come into existence, to
originate, arise, become, come to pass , etc.
Now, putting these facts together and observing the order of the words in the original,
we read the passage thus:
'Knowing this first, that all prophecy of Scripture came (or originated) not of his or
its own [ i.e., the prophet’s own ] unfolding (or Sending forth); for not by the will of man
was prophecy at any time brought in, but borne along by the Holy Spirit spake the holy
men of God.¨
Or keeping to the A.V. as far as possible:'Knowing this first, that no prophecy of
the Scripture came of [ the prophet’s , or of its own ] unfolding; for prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man; but the holy men of God spake as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost.¨
Or taking the last clause as in the R.V. , 'But holy men spake from God, [ not from
themselves ], moved by the Holy Ghost.¨
The whole scope of this passage is, not the interpretation of Scripture, but its origin: it
does not speak of what the Scripture means , but of whence it comes.

Zeugma: or, Unequal Yoke
Zeug´-ma . Greek , a yoke; from ( zeugnumi ), to join or yoke together .
This name is given to the figure, because one verb is yoked on to two subjects while
grammatically it strictly refers only to one of them: The two subjects properly require two
different verbs. This figure, therefore, differs from one of the ordinary forms of Ellipsis,
where one of the two verbs is omitted which belongs to only one clause. (See under
Relative Ellipsis, page 62 .)
The second verb is omitted, and the grammatical law is broken, in order that our
attention may be attracted to the passage, and that we may thus discover that the
emphasis is to be placed on the verb that is used, and not be distracted from it by the verb
that is omitted. Though the law of grammar is violated, it is not 'bad grammar¨; for it is
broken with design, legitimately broken, under the special form, usage, or figure, called
ZEUGMA .
So perfectly was this figure studied and used by the Greeks, that they gave different
names to its various forms, according to the position of the verb or yoke in the sentence.
There are four forms of Zeugma:
1. PROTOZEUGMA , ante-yoke . Latin, INJUNCTUM , joined together .
2. MESOZEUGMA , middle-yoke . Latin, CONJUNCTUM , joined with .
3. HYPOZEUGMA , end-yoke; or subjoined .
4. SYNEZEUGMENON , connected-yoke . Latin, ADJUNCTUM , joined
together .
1. PROTOZEUGMA: OR, ANTE-YOKE
Pro´-to-zeug´-ma , from ( pr ), the first , or the beginning , and Zeugma:
meaning yoked at the beginning; because the verb, which is thus unequally yoked, is
placed at the beginning of the sentence. Hence, it was called also ANTEZEUGMENON ,
i.e. , yoked before (from the Latin, ante , before ), or ante-yoked . Another name was
PROEPIZEUXIS ( -is ), yoked upon before (from ( pro ), before ,
( epi ), upon ).
The Latins called it INJUNCTUM , i.e., joined , or yoked to , from in , and jugum , a
yoke (from jungo , to join ).
Gen. 4:20 . 'And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents and
cattle.¨
Here the verb 'dwell¨ is placed before 'tents¨ and 'cattle,¨ with both of which it is
yoked, though it is accurately appropriate only to 'tents,¨ and not to 'cattle.¨ The verb
'possess¨ would be more suitable for cattle. And this is why the figure is a kind of
Ellipsis , for the verse if completed would read, 'he was the father of such as dwell in
tents [ and possess ] cattle.¨ But how stilted and tame compared with the figure which
bids us throw the emphasis on the fact that he was a nomade ( , a wanderer or
nomade ), and cared more for wandering about than for the shepherd part of his life!
The A.V. has supplied the verb in italics:'[ such as have ] cattle,¨ as though it were
a case of ordinary Ellipsis. The R.V. supplies the second verb ' have .¨
It may be, however, that the sense is better completed by taking the words
( vahaley michneh ), tents of cattle , as in 2 Chron. 14:14 , i.e., cattle-tents, i.e.,
herdsmen . Or, as in Gen. 46:32 , 34 , by supplying the Ellipsis:'Such as dwell in tents
and [ men of ] cattle,¨ i.e., herdsmen . So that the sense would be much the same.
Ex. 3 16 . 'I have surely visited you, and that which is done to you in Egypt.¨ We are
thus reminded that it was not merely that Jehovah had seen that which they had suffered,
but rather had visited because of His covenant with their fathers.
The A.V. and R.V. both supply the second verb: '[ seen ] that which is done to you,
etc.¨
It may be that the verb ( pachad ), though used only once , should be repeated
(by implication) in another sense, which it has, viz.: 'I have surely visited ( i.e., looked
after or cared for ) you, and [ visited ] ( i.e., punished for ) that which is done to you in
Egypt).¨ The two senses being to go to with the view of helping; and to go for or against
with the view of punishing, which would be the figure of Syllepsis ( q.v. ).
Deut. 4 12 . 'And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the
voice of words, but saw no similitude, only a voice.¨
The A.V. and R.V. supply the second verb '[ heard ] only a voice .¨ The figure shows
us that all the emphasis is to be placed on the fact that no similitude was seen; thus
idolatry was specially condemned.
The word 'idol¨ means, literally, something that is seen, and thus all worship that
involves the use of sight, and indeed, of any of the senses (hence called sensuous worship
), rather than the heart , partakes of the nature of idolatry , and is abomination in the sight
of God.
2 Kings 11:12 . 'And he brought forth the king`s son, and put the crown upon him,
and the testimony.¨ ( 2 Chron. 23:11 ).
Here the A.V. and R.V. supply the second verb, ' gave him the testimony.¨ If it were
a simple Ellipsis , we might instead supply in his hand after the word 'testimony.¨ But it
is rather the figure of Zeugma , by which our attention is called to the importance of the
'testimony¨ under such circumstances (see Deut. 17:19 ) rather than to the mere act of
the giving it.
Isa. 2:3 . 'Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD , to the house of the
God of Jacob,¨ i.e. , [ and let us enter into ] the house of the God of Jacob.
Luke 24:27 . 'And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them
in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.¨
Here the verb 'beginning¨ suits, of course, only 'Moses¨; and some such verb as
going through would be more appropriate; as he could not begin at all the 'prophets.¨
This figure tells us that it is not the act which we are to think of, but the books and the
Scripture that we are to emphasize as being the subject of the Risen Lord`s exposition.
1 Cor. 3:2 . 'I have fed you with milk, and not with meat.¨
Here the verb is , to give drink , and it suits the subject, 'milk,¨ but not
'meat.¨ Hence the emphasis is not so much on the feeding as on the food, and on the
contrast between the 'milk¨ and the 'meat.¨ The A.V. avoids the figure by giving the
verb a neutral meaning. See how tame the passage would have been had it read: 'I have
given you milk to drink and not meat to eat¨! All the fire and force and emphasis would
have been lost, and we might have mistakenly put the emphasis on the verbs instead of on
the subjects: while the figure would have been a Pleonasm ( q.v. ) instead of a Zeugma .
1 Cor. 7:10 . 'And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord.¨
Here the one verb is connected with the two objects: but we are, by this figure, shown
that it is connected affirmatively with the Lord, and only negatively with the apostle.
1 Cor. 14:34 . 'For it is not permitted them to speak; but to be under authority.¨
This has been treated as a simple Ellipsis: but the unequal yoke ( Zeugma ) is seen,
the one verb being used for the two opposite things; thus emphasizing the fact that it is
not so much the permitting , or the commanding , which is important, but the act of
speaking , and the condition of being under authority .
1 Tim. 4:3 . 'Forbidding to marry and to abstain from meats.¨
This has been classed already under Ellipsis; but the Zeugma is also seen;
emphasizing the fact that it is celibacy and abstinence which are to be noted as the marks
of the latter times rather than the mere acts of 'forbidding¨ or commanding. The latter
verb, which is omitted, is supplied by Paronomasia ( q.v. ), 'forbidding ( ,
k luont n ), to marry, and [ commanding ( , keleuont n )], etc.¨
2. MESOZEUGMA; OR, MIDDLE-YOKE
Mes´-o-zeug-ma, i.e., middle-yoke , from ( mesos ), middle . The Zeugma is so-
called when the verb or adjective occurs in the middle of the sentence.
The Latins called it CONJUNCTUM , joined-together-with .
Mark 13:26 . 'Then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great
power and glory.¨
Here in the Greek the adjective is put between the two nouns, thus: 'Power, great, and
glory,¨ and it applies to both in a peculiar manner. This Zeugma calls our attention to the
fact that the power will be great and the glory will be great: and this more effectually
emphasizes the greatness of both, than if it had been stated in so many words.
So also 5:40 , 'The father of the child and the mother¨; (verse 42 ) ' Arose the
damsel and walked.¨
Luke 1:64 . 'And his mouth was opened immediately and his tongue, and he spake
and praised God.¨
Here it is not the act of the opening and loosing that we are to think of, but the fact
that through this predicted miracle he praised God with his mouth and his tongue in spite
of all the months of his enforced silence.
3. HYPOZEUGMA; OR, END-YOKE
Hy´-po-zeug´ma, i.e., end-yoke ( hupo or hypo ), underneath . Hence
( hypozeugnumi ), to yoke under . The figure of Zeugma is so called when
the verb is at the end of the sentence, and so underneath, the two objects.
Acts 4:27 , 28 . 'They were gathered together, to do whatsoever thy hand and thy
counsel determined before to be done.¨
Here the verb 'determined¨ relates only to 'counsel¨ and not to 'hand¨: and shows us
that we are to place the emphasis on the fact that, though the power of God`s hand was
felt sooner than His counsel (as Bengel puts it), yet even this was only in consequence of
His own determinate counsel and foreknowledge. Compare chap. 2:23 , and 3:18 .
4. SYNEZEUGMENON; OR, JOINT-YOKE
Syn´-e-zeug´-men-on, i.e., yoked together with , or yoked connectedly , from ( sun or
syn ), together with , and , to yoke .
This name is given to the Zeugma when the verb is joined to more than two clauses,
each of which would require its own proper verb in order to complete the sense.
*
By the
Latins it was called ADJUNCTUM , i.e., joined together .
Ex. 20:18 . 'And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise
of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking.¨ How tame this would be if the proper verbs
had been expressed in each case! The verb 'saw¨ is appropriate to the 'lightnings¨ and
'mountain.¨ And by the omission of the second verb 'heard¨ we are informed that the
people were impressed by what they saw, rather than by what they heard.
Ps. 15 Here the whole of the objects in verses 25 are connected with one verb which
occurs in the last verse (repeated from first verse). All the sentences in verses 25 are
incomplete. There is the Ellipsis of the verb, e.g. , verse 2 : 'He that walketh uprightly [
shall abide in thy tabernacle and shall never be moved ], he that worketh righteousness [
shall never be moved ],¨ etc.
This gives rise to, or is the consequence of the structure of the Psalm:
A 1 . Who shall abide? (stability).
qualities.
B a 2 . Positive
* On the other hand, when in a succession of clauses each subject has its own proper
verb, expressed instead of being understood, then it is called HYPOZEUXIS ( Hy´-po-
zeux´-is ), i.e., sub-connection with . See Ps. 145:57 . 1 Cor. 13:8 . Where several
members, which at first form one sentence, are unyoked and separated into two or more
clauses, the figure is called DIEZEUGMENON , Di´-e-zeug´-men-on, i.e., yoked-through
, from ( dia ), through. This was called by the Latins DISJUNCTIO . See under
Prosapodosis .
b 3 . Negative
B a 4 Positive
b 45 Negative
A 5 . Who shall abide? (stability).
Eph. 4:31 . 'Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking,
be put away from you.¨
Here the one verb 'put away,¨ ( air ), is used of all these various subjects,
though it does not apply equally to each: e.g. , 'bitterness,¨ ( pikria ), the opposite
of 'kindness,¨ verse 32 ; 'wrath,¨ ( thumos ), harshness, the opposite of 'tender-
( orgee ), the opposite of 'forgiving,¨ verse 32 ;
'clamour,¨ ( kraugee ), 'evil-speaking,¨ ( blasphemia ), 'malice,¨
( kakia ), wickedness .
It is the thing we are not to be, that is important, rather than the act of giving it up.
(See the same passage under Polysyndeton ).
Phil. 3:10 . 'That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.¨
Here the one verb 'know¨ properly refers to 'Him.¨ The verbs suited to the other
subjects are not expressed, in order that we may not be diverted by other action from the
one great fact of our knowledge of Him. 'That I may know Him (is the one great object,
but to know Him I must experience) the power of His resurrection, and (to feel this I must
first share) the fellowship of His sufferings (How? by) being made like Him in His
death,¨ i.e. , by reckoning myself as having died with Christ ( Rom. 6:11 ), and been
planted together in the likeness of His death (verse 5 ). So only can I know the power of
that new resurrection life which I have as 'risen with Christ,¨ enabling me to 'walk in
newness of life,¨ and thus to 'know Him.¨
The order of thought is introverted in verses 10 and 11 .
Resurrection.
Suffering.
Death.
Resurrection.
And resurrection, though mentioned first, cannot be known until fellowship with His
sufferings and conformity to His death have been experienced by faith. Then the power
of His resurrection which it exercises on the new life can be known; and we can know
Him only in what God has made Christ to be to His people, and what He has made His
people to be in Christ.

1
Asyndeton; or, No-Ands
THIS figure should not be studied apart from the opposite figure POLYSYNDETON (
q.v. ), as they form a pair, and mutually throw light upon and illustrate each other.
It is pronounced a-syn´-de-ton , and means simply without conjunctions; or it may be
Englished by the term NO-ANDS .
It is from the Greek , negative, and ( sundeton ), bound together with
(from , dein , to bind).
Hence, in grammar, asyndeton means without any conjunctions .
It is called also ASYNTHETON , from ( titheemi ), to put or place . Hence,
Asyntheton means no placings or puttings ( i.e. , of the conjunction 'and¨).
Other names for this figure are:
DIALYSIS ( Di-al´-y-sis ), from ( dia ), through , and ( luein ), to
loosen; a loosening through .
DIALYTON ( Di-al´-y-ton ), a separation of the parts .
SOLUTUM ( So-lu-tum ), from the Latin solvo , to dissolve .
DISSOLUTIO ( Dis-so-lu´-ti-o ), a dissolving .
EPITROCHASMOS ( Ep´-i-tro-chas´-mos ( epi ), upon , and
( trochaios ), a running along, tripping along . This name is given
also to a certain kind of Parenthesis ( q.v. ).
PERCURSIO ( Per-cur´-si-o ), a running through .
All these names are given, because, without any ' ands ¨ the items are soon run over.
1
Bullinger, E. W. (1898). Figures of speech used in the Bible (Page iii). London; New
York: Eyre & Spottiswoode; E. & J. B. Young & Co.
q.v. Which see.
When the figure Asyndeton is used, we are not detained over the separate statements,
and asked to consider each in detail, but we are hurried on over the various matters that
are mentioned, as though they were of no account, in comparison with the great climax to
which they lead up, and which alone we are thus asked by this figure to emphasize.
The beauties of Asyndeton cannot be fully seen or appreciated without comparing
with it the figure of Polysyndeton . They should be studied together, in order to bring out,
by the wonderful contrast, the object and importance of both.
Asyndeta have been divided into four classes:
Conjunctive or copulative , when the words or propositions are to be joined
together.
Disjunctive , when they are to be separated from each other.
Explanatory , when they explain each other.
Causal , when a reason is subjoined.
For the sake of more easy reference, the following examples have not been thus
classified, but are given in the order in which they occur in the Bible:
Ex. 15:9 , 10 . 'The enemy said,
I will pursue,
I will overtake,
I will divide the spoil;
My lust shall be satisfied upon them;
I will draw my sword,
My hand shall destroy them.
Thou didst blow with thy wind,
The sea covered them:
They sank as lead in the mighty waters. ¨
Here we are hurried over what 'the enemy said,¨ because it was not of the least
importance what he said or what he did. The great fact is recorded in the climax: on
which all the emphasis is to be placed both in thought and in public reading.
Judges 5:27 . 'At her feet he bowed,
he fell,
he lay down;
at her feet he bowed,
he fell:
where he bowed,
there he fell down dead. ¨
1 Sam. 15:6 . 'And Saul said unto the Kenites,
Go,
depart,
get you down from among the Amalekites,
lest I destroy you with them. ¨
Isa. 33:7–12 . Here the figure is used to hasten us on through the details which
describe the judgment on Assyria, in order that we may dwell on the important fact that
the hour of Judah`s deliverance has come:
'Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without;
the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly:
the highways lie waste,
the wayfaring man ceaseth:
he hath broken the covenant,
he hath despised the cities,
he regardeth no man:
the earth mourneth (the 'and¨ here (in A.V. ) is incorrectly inserted),
languisheth:
Lebanon is ashamed,
hewn down (here again the 'and¨ is introduced and mars the figure).
Sharon is like a wilderness;
And Bashan and Carmel shake [ their leaves ] (or, are all astir).
'Now will I arise, saith the Lord:
now will I be exalted;
now will I lift up myself.
'Ye shall conceive chaff ( , dried grass , or tinder ).
Ye shall bring forth stubble;
your breath as fire shall devour you.
And the people shall be as the burnings of lime ;
As thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire .¨
Ezek. 33:15 , 16 . 'If the wicked restore the pledge,
give again that he had robbed,
walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity;
he shall surely live
he shall not die. ¨
*
'None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him:
he hath done that which is lawful and right;
he shall surely live. ¨
A.V. The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.
* Here, in the climax, we have the figure of Pleonasm ( q.v. ).
Mark 2:27 , 28 . In the Textus Receptus the 'and¨ is omitted, but it is inserted both in
the A.V. and R.V. with T. Tr. A. , WH.
It reads, in spite of this, as though the 'and¨ were an addition to the text. Without it
there is an Asyndeton , and a forcible conclusion flowing from it.
'The Sabbath was made for man,
not man for the Sabbath;
therefore the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath also. ¨
*
Mark 7:21–23 . 'For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed
evil thoughts,
adulteries,
fornications,
murders,
thefts,
covetousness,
wickedness,
deceit,
lasciviousness,
an evil eye,
blasphemy,
pride,
foolishness:
all these evil things come from within, and defile the man. ¨
This weighty truth, thus emphasized, writes folly on all modern attempts to improve
human nature; because they all proceed on the false assumption that it is what goes into
the man that defiles him, and ignore the solemn fact that in the natural heart there is 'no
good thing¨ ( Rom. 7:18 ). Until, therefore, a new heart has been given by God, all
attempts to make black white will be labour in vain. Compare Matt. 15:1820 .
Luke 17:27–30 . 'They did eat,
they drank,
they married wives,
they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
and the Flood came, and destroyed them all.
R.V. The Revised Version, 1881.
T. Tischendorf and his critical Greek Text.
Tr. Tregelles and his critical Greek Text.
A. Alford and his critical Greek Text.
WH. Westcott and Hort, and their critical Greek Text.
* A.V. , wrongly, 'Lord also.¨ R.V. , 'even of the Sabbath.¨ See ' Also ,¨ a Bible Study
on the Use of the Word by the same author and publisher.
'Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat,
they drank,
they bought,
they sold,
they planted,
they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom
it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it
be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. ¨
Rom. 1:29–31 . A long list is given of the marks of the 'reprobate mind,¨ and We are
taken through the awful catalogue, and hastened on to the climax in verse 32 , that the
righteous sentence of God has been passed, and only judgment now awaits them that
“not only do the same, but have pleasure” in them that do them.
1 Cor. 3:12 , 13 . 'Now if any man build upon this foundation gold,
silver,
precious stones,
wood,
hay,
stubble;
every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it,” etc.
Here it is the consequence which is emphasized by the climax thus led up to. The
builder here is the minister, and the work is ministerial .
Those who have been reformed or apparently converted by human persuasion or other
influences working and acting on the flesh, are like ' wood, hay, stubble; ¨ and will be
burnt up in that day; for, as the Lord Jesus declared (using the work of a husbandman as
the illustration, instead of, as here, the work of the builder), 'every plant which my
heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up¨ ( Matt. 15:13 ).
But those who have been converted by God (and not merely as the popular phrase
goes 'to God¨) shall be as 'gold, silver, precious stones,¨ for whom the fire shall have
'no hurt.¨
1 Cor. 12:28–31 . 'And God hath set some in the church,
first apostles,
secondarily prophets,
thirdly teachers,
after that miracles,
then gifts of healings,
helps,
governments,
diversities of tongues.
Are all apostles?
are all prophets?
are all teachers?
are all workers of miracles?
Have all the gifts of healing?
Do all speak with tongues?
Do all interpret?
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.”
Here we have part of the revelation concerning the Mystical body of Christ.
It commences at verse 1 :
A 12:111 . Nine gifts which God has given to His Church.
B 1217 . The unity of the Body. Nine enumerations.
B 1827 . What God hath set in the Body. Eight enumerations.
A 2831 . What God hath set in the Church. Eight gifts.
Thus in A and A we have the Church. And in B and B we have the Body. In A and A
we have seventeen
*
enumerations, and in B and B we have seventeen also. These
arrangements bind all four together in a remarkable way to show that 'the Body is one.¨
1 Cor. 13:13 . 'And now abideth faith,
hope,
charity,
these three,” etc.
2 Cor. 7:5 , 6 . 'For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but
we were troubled on every side;
without were fightings,
within were fears.
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the
coming of Titus. ¨
Gal. 5:19–21 . 'Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ,
Adultery,
fornication,
uncleanness,
lasciviousness,
idolatry,
witchcraft,
hatred,
variance,
* For the significance of this number, see Number in Scripture , by the same author and
publisher. Also The Mystery .
emulations,
wrath,
strife,
seditions,
heresies,
envyings,
murders,
drunkenness,
revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time
past,
that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ¨
See also under Merismus and Synonymia .
Gal. 5:22 . 'But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy,
peace,
longsuffering,
gentleness,
goodness,
faith,
meekness,
temperance:
against such there is no law.”
Contrast this with the Polysyndeton in 2 Pet. 1:57 .
Eph. 4:32 . Contrast this with the Polysyndeton in verse 31 .
'And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted,
forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Lit. 'like as GOD also¨).
Phil. 3:5–7 . 'Though I might also have confidence in the flesh (Greek:Though I
might have confidence IN THE FLESH also`). If any other man thinketh that he hath
whereof he might boast in the flesh, I more:
'Circumcised the eighth day,
of the stock of Israel,
of the tribe of Benjamin,
an Hebrew of the Hebrews;
as touching the Law, a Pharisee;
concerning zeal, persecuting the Church;
touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”
Paul is speaking not of his sins, but of his gains. As to his standing in the flesh we
hear his words, 'I more,¨ so we need not strive to gain it. As to his guilt as a sinner we
hear his words, 'I am chief,¨ so we need not despair. For God has set him forth as a
pattern showing how all sinners must be converted ( 1 Tim. 1:16 ).
1 Thess. 5:14–18 . 'Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly,
comfort the feeble minded,
support the weak,
be patient toward all men .
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but
ever follow that which is good both among yourselves and to all men .
Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ¨
1 Tim. 1:17 . 'Now unto the King
eternal,
immortal,
invisible,
the only wise God,
be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. ¨
1 Tim. 4:13–16 . 'Till I come,
give attendance to reading,
to exhortation,
to doctrine.
Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying
on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate upon these things;
give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in them:
for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself, and them that hear thee. ¨
2 Tim. 3:1–5 . 'This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.For men
shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous,
boasters,
proud,
blasphemers,
disobedient to parents,
unthankful,
unholy,
without natural affection,
trucebreakers,
false accusers,
incontinent,
fierce,
despisers of those that are good,
traitors,
heady,
highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
from such turn away.”
2 Tim. 3:10 , 11 . 'But thou hast fully known my doctrine,
manner of life,
purpose,
faith,
longsuffering,
charity,
patience,
persecutions,
afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch,
at Iconium,
at Lystra: what persecutions I endured;
but out of them all the Lord delivered me.”
*
As much as to say, 'It does not matter what my troubles may have been: the great and
blessed fact is that out of them all the Lord hath delivered me.¨
2 Tim. 3:16 , 17 . 'All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
f
and is profitable
for doctrine,
for reproof,
for correction,
for instruction in righteousness:
that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
Here we are hurried on, and not asked to stop and consider each of the four things for
which all Scripture is profitable: but we are asked especially to dwell on the object of it:
viz. , thoroughly to furnish the man of God for all the circumstances in which he may be
placed.
* Compare and contrast with this the Polysyndeton of 2 Tim. 4:17 , 18 .
f See under the figure of Ellipsis , page 44.
The words 'perfect¨ and 'throughly furnished¨ are cognate in the Greek, and should
be similarly rendered.
|
( artios ) is rendered 'perfect,¨ the latter
( exeertismenos ) should be 'perfected¨ (as in the margin). If the former is
translated fitted , the latter should be fitted out-and-out. If the latter is rendered 'furnished
completely,¨ then the former should be furnished. Perhaps the best rendering would be
'fitted¨ . 'fitted out,¨ i.e. , 'that the man of God may be fitted, fitted out unto all good
works.¨
( artios ) is from the Ancient Aryan root AR, which means to fit
. In the Greek it implies perfect adaptation and suitability . The Greeks used it of time , as
denoting the exact or right moment; and of numbers as denoting a perfect or even number
as opposed to an odd number.
( exartizo ) means to fit out; and is used of furnishing a house,
making full preparation for war, or especially of fitting out a vessel for sea, in doing
which every emergency must be provided forheat and cold, calm and storm, peace and
war, fire and accident. Hence, he who studies God`s word, will be a 'man of God,¨ fitted
out and provided for all the circumstances and emergencies of life. But he who neglects
this, and studies man`s books, will become at best a man of men; he will be only what
man`s wisdom can make him, a prey for every enemy, exposed to every danger.
*
only here, and in Acts
21:5 . The importance of this passage is shown by the perfection of its structure:
A a All Scripture is given by inspiration of God;
b and is profitable
B for doctrine,
C for reproof,
C for correction,
B for instruction in righteousness:
A a that the man of God may be perfect;
b throughly furnished unto all good works.
Here in A and A we have that which is connected with ' God ¨ ; while in B, C and B,
C , we have that which is connected with His ' Word .¨ Thus:
A a God`s divinely inspired word.
| See under the figure of Paregmenon .
* See The Man of God , a pamphlet by the same author and publisher.
b Its profit to God`s man.
B Positive: Teaching what is true.
C Negative: Convicting of what is wrong in practice.
C Negative: Correcting what is wrong in doctrine.
B Positive: Instructing in what is right.
A a God`s divinely-fitted man.
b His profit in God`s word.
There is a further reference to this verse ( 2 Tim. 3:16 ) in verses 2 and 3 of the next
chapter, which may be compared thus:
The God-breathed Word is profitable
2 Tim. 3:16 . 2 Tim. 4:2 , 3 .
for doctrine: therefore Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season;
for reproof: therefore reprove,
for correction: therefore rebuke,
for instruction in
righteousness:
therefore exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Thus we have the same figure in both of these corresponding members:
2 Tim. 4:2 , 3 . 'Preach the word;
be instant in season, out of season;
reprove,
rebuke,
exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. ¨
This important conclusion is pressed upon us and thus emphasized in order to show
us that, when men 'will not endure sound doctrine,¨ we are not to search for something to
preach that they will endure, but all the more earnestly and persistently we are to 'preach
the word!¨ Nothing else is given us to preach, whether men will hear or whether they will
forbear.
Jas. 1:19 , 20 . ,
anthr pos ) be
swift to hear,
slow to speak,
slow to wrath:
for the wrath of man , andros ) worketh not the righteousness of God.”
Jas. 5:6 . Here the translators have inserted ' and ¨ twice in italics, utterly destroying
the figure and hiding the conclusion.
'Ye have condemned,
ye have killed the just [ One ];
He doth not resist you.
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.”
Rev. 3:7 , 8 . 'These things saith
He that is holy,
he that is true,
he that hath the key of David,
he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
I know thy works.”
Contrast the Polysyndeton in verses 8 , 12 , 17 , 18 .
Among other examples may be noted:
Isa. 21:11 . Mark 16:6 , 17 , 18 . Luke 1:17 . Rom. 2:1923 . 1 Cor. 4:8 ; 13:47 ;
15:4144 . 2 Cor. 7:24 . Heb. 11:3238 . Rev. 7:58 ; 21:1820 .

Aphæresis: or, Front-Cut
pronounced Aph-ær´-e-sis , and means a taking away from
( aphairein ), to take away , from ( apo ), away , ( hairein
), to take . It is a figure of etymology which relates to the spelling of words, and is used
of the cutting off of a letter or syllable from the beginning of a word. We may, therefore,
give it the English name of FRONT-CUT . We see it in such words as ’neath for beneath;
mazed for amazed. In the Scripture we have an example in Coniah for Jeconiah . He is
called Jeconiah in his genealogy ( 1 Chron. 3:16 ); but, in Jer. 22:24 , where Jehovah
declares that He will cut him off, his name corresponds with the act, for the front part is
cut off , and he is called 'Coniah.¨
*
Jeconiah means Let Jehovah establish . Cutting off the first syllable may intimate the
disappointment (for the time) of the hope.
Josiah, who justified the hope expressed in his name ( Let Jehovah heal ) that Jehovah
would establish the kingdom, gave his son the name of Eliakim, afterwards called
* Only here, and in 37:1 .
Jehoiakim, which means God will establish (as does his grandson`s, Jehoiachinthis
Jeconiah). But his hopes were vain. Josiah`s family is remarkable for the manner in
which the names are broken up and their kingdom overtaken by disaster.
See Jer. 22:24 . ' As I live, saith the LORD , though CONIAH , the son of Jehoiakim
king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence¨; and
read on to the end of the chapter.
In verse 30 , 'Write ye this man childless¨ is explained to mean that not one of his
seven sons ( 1 Chron. 3:17 , 18 ) sat upon his throne, but Zerubbabel, his grandson,
became governor after Coniah had died in Babylon ( 2 Kings 25:29 , 30 ).

Apocope; or, End-Cut
A-p c´-o-pe , a cutting off ( apokoptein
( apo ), away from , and ( koptein ), to cut . It is a
figure of etymology which relates to the spelling of words, and is used of cutting off a
letter or syllable from the end of a word. We may give it the name of END-CUT . We
have examples in such words as yon for yonder, after for afterward.
In the Scripture we have an example in the name of Jude for Judas.
There is no Apocope in the Greek; and therefore there is no teaching in the use of the
figure; which exists only in the translation.

II. AFFECTING THE SENSE

Aposiopesis; or, Sudden-Silence
THIS is a rhetorical figure, and not a figure of grammar, but it may be placed under the
figures depending on omission , because in it something is omitted.
Apo-si-o-pee´-sis ( a becoming silent ), from
( aposi pa ), to be silent after speaking, to keep silence, observe a
deliberate silence .
The name of this figure may be represented in English by SUDDEN-SILENCE . The
Latins named it RETICENTIA , which means the same thing. It is the sudden breaking
off of what is being said (or written), so that the mind may be the more impressed by
what is too wonderful, or solemn, or awful for words: or when a thing may be, as we
sometimes say, 'better imagined than described.¨
Its use is to call our attention to what is being said, for the purpose of impressing us
with its importance.
It has been divided under four heads, according to the character of the subject:
1. Promise.
2. Anger and Threatening.
3. Grief and Complaint.
4. Enquiry and Deprecation.
1. PROMISE: where some great thing is promised, too great to be conveyed in words
Ex. 32:31 , 32 . 'And Moses returned unto the LORD , and said, Oh, this people have
sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their
sin; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.¨
Here it seems that Moses was about to promise something on behalf of the people;
but neither knew what promise he could make for them, nor how far he could answer for
its fulfilment by them. His sudden silence is solemnly eloquent.
2 Sam. 5:8 . 'And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter.¨
We learn from 1 Chron. 11:6 that the promise was fulfilled in Joab, who was made
chief or captain. Hence these words have been supplied in the A.V. , as we have
explained above, under the figure of Absolute Ellipsis , page 53 .
1 Chron. 4:10 . 'And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest
bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that
thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me¨
Then there is a sudden silence, as though it were impossible for Jabez to express the
manner in which he would give God thanks and declare his praise for His great mercies.
But the words that immediately follow seem to show that God was so much more ready
to hear than Jabez was to pray, that without waiting for him to finish his prayer it is
added, 'And God granted him that which he requested.¨
Dan. 3:15 . 'Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and
worship the image which I have made but if ye worship not,¨ etc.
Here Nebuchadnezzar was ready with his threat of the punishment, but he was careful
not to commit himself to any promise.
Luke 13:9 has already been treated under the figure of Ellipsis: but beside the
grammatical ellipsis, there is also the rhetorical: 'And if it bear fruit,¨ as though the
vine-dresser would say, 'I cannot say what I will not do for it: not only will I not cut it
down, but I will continue to care for it and tend it!¨ The A.V. has supplied the word, '
well! ¨
2. ANGER and THREATENING
Gen. 3:22 . 'And now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and
eat, and live for everTherefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of
Eden,¨ etc.
Here the exact consequences of eating of the tree of life in his fallen condition are left
unrevealed, as though they were too awful to be contemplated: and the sudden silence
leaves us in the darkness in which the Fall involved us. But we may at least understand
that whatever might be involved in this unspoken threatening, it included this fact: I
will drive him away from the tree of life!
Gen. 20:3 . 'Behold, thou art but a dead man for the woman which thou hast
taken; for she is a man`s wife.¨
Here, we must supply if thou dost not restore her; or, her husband will slay thee .
This is clear from verse 7 .
Jas. 3:1 . 'My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the
greater condemnation.¨
He does not stop to specify what the many things are, in which those who occupy
such positions may give cause of condemnation. This is also to be understood as if it
continued 'unless we give a right judgment,¨ etc. ( Matt. 7:2 ).
3. GRIEF and COMPLAINT
Gen. 25:22 . 'If it be so, why am I thus?¨
Rebekah`s words of grief and complaint are not completed. She could not understand
why, if Jehovah was intreated and answered Isaac`s prayer, she should so suffer that the
answer was almost as hard to be borne as her former condition.
Judges 5:29 , 30 . There is a wonderful Aposiopesis here, where the mother of Sisera
looks out of her lattice and wonders where Sisera is, and why he does not return. Her
wise ladies answered her, 'But she repeated her words to herself.¨ Her soliloquy ends in
a sudden silence. Everything is left to the imagination as to how she bears it. All is lost in
the sudden outburst Of the song 'So perish all thy foes, O Jehovah¨! See under
Homœopropheron .
Ps. 6:3 . 'My soul is also sore vexed; but thou, O LORD , how long?¨
The words are drowned in grief: 'How long shall I be sore vexed? How long [ before
thou wilt arise? ]¨ Thus his prayer is submitted to the will of God.
Luke 15:21 . 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son.¨
It is as though, broken down by the grief which the utterance of these words brought
into his heart, he could not continue, and say the rest of what, we are told, he had
resolved to say in verse 19 .
Or it is also to show us as well, that the father`s joy to receive is so great that he
would not wait for the son to finish, but anticipated him with his seven-fold blessing.
See under Polysyndeton .
Luke 19:42 . 'If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which
belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.¨
The blessedness involved in this knowledge is overwhelmed by the tribulation which
is to come upon the nation.
The continuation of the sense would probably be 'How happy thou wouldest have
been! How blessed! How safe! How secure! but now they are hid from thine eyes.¨
4. ENQUIRY and DEPRECATION
Hos. 9:14 . 'Give them, O LORD : what wilt thou give?¨ As though unable to
conceive the punishment deserved, the Prophet breaks off and goes back to the thought of
verse 11 .
John 6:62 . 'And if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before?¨
This has already been referred to under Ellipsis (see p. 54 ). But something more is
implied; more than can be supplied by any specific words, such as, “Will ye believe
then?” For He did afterwards ascend up, but they still refused to believe!
Acts 23:9 . According to some ancient MSS. all the critical Greek texts read the verse,
'We find no evil in this man: but, if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him.¨
Either the Pharisees were afraid to express their thoughts, or their words were
drowned in the 'great dissension¨ (verse 10 ) which immediately 'arose.¨ For there is a
sudden silence, which some copyists have attempted to fill up by adding the words
( mee theomach men ), ' let us not fight against God .¨

Meiosis: or, A Be-Littleing
(A be-littleing of one thing to magnify another)
Mei- ´-sis . Greek , a lessening , or diminution: from ( mei-o- ), to make
smaller .
It is known also by the name LITOTES , li´-to-tees: Greek , plainness,
simplicity .
The Latins called it DIMINUTIO ( Di-mi-nu´-ti-o ) and EXTENUATIO ( Ex-ten´-u-
a´-ti-o ).
By this figure one thing is diminished in order to increase another thing. It thus
differs from Tapeinosis ( q.v. ), in which a thing is lessened in order to emphasize its own
greatness or importance.
In Meiosis there is an omission therefore, not of words, but of sense. One thing is
lowered in order to magnify and intensify something else by way of contrast.
It is used for the purpose of emphasis; to call our attention, not to the smallness of the
thing thus lessened, but to the importance of that which is put in contrast with it.
Gen. 18:27 . 'And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to
speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.¨
Here Abraham humbles himself; and, alluding to the creation of man out of the dust
of the ground ( Gen. 2:7 ), he implies much more than he expresses. In calling himself
'dust and ashes,¨ he contrasts himself with the high and holy God whom he is
addressing, and takes the place of a man most vile and a creature most abject. So Jehovah
uses the same figure in 1 Kings 16:2 . Ps. 113:7 , &c. See under Synecdoche .
Num. 13:33 . 'And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their
sight.¨ This is the Meiosis of unbelief. To gain credence for their words they exaggerated
the size of the Anakim by lessening their own stature. On the other hand, the language of
faith used a very different figure. Compare 14:9 , under the Figure of Ellipsis , page 37 .
1 Sam. 24:14 . 'After whom is the king of Israel come out? After whom dost thou
pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea,¨ i.e. , you do that which is altogether unworthy of a
king, in pursuing one who is as harmless as a dead dog (compare 17:43 ; 2 Sam. 3:8 ; 9:8
; 16:9 ) and as worthless as a flea, which is poor game for a royal hunter ( 1 Sam. 26:20 ).
Ezra 9:8 . 'And now for a little space (Heb. moment ) grace hath been shewed from
the LORD our God.¨ To magnify the greatness of the grace the Holy Spirit, by Ezra,
speaks of the 'little space.¨ The comparison is not to the greatness of their transgressions,
which are stated in verses 6 and 7 , etc., but to their length and the length of the previous
chastisement, which had been begun by the kings of Assyria. See Neh. 9:32 , and Ezra
6:22 , where Cyrus, 'the king of Babylon¨ ( 5:13 ), is called the king of Assyria, having
absorbed the kingdoms of Media, Persia, and Assyria, and thus the oppressor, by God`s
grace, had become the friend.
Ps. 22:6 . 'I am a worm, and no man.¨ Here, as elsewhere, this figure is used to denote
a much greater depth of humility and affliction than words can express. So Job 25:6 . Isa.
41:14 . The greater the humiliation, the greater the contrast with His glorification: for He
who is 'a worm and no man¨ in Ps. 22 is 'Jehovah my shepherd¨ of Ps. 23 , and 'the
King of glory¨ of Ps. 24 In these three Psalms we thus have in xxii. 'the Good Shepherd¨
in death ( John 10:11 ); 'the Great Shepherd¨ in resurrection ( Heb. 13:20 ; and 'the
Chief Shepherd¨ in glory ( 1 Pet. 5:4 ).
Isa. 40:15 . 'Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small
dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.¨
And even this fails to convey to our minds the wondrous gulf between the finite and
the infinite.
Verse 17 : 'All nations before him are as nothing: and they are counted to him less
than nothing and vanity.¨
Matt. 15:26 . 'It is not meet to take the children`s bread, and to cast it to dogs.¨ It is
not only not fair, but it is cruel to one`s children thus to deprive them of their food.
See further under the figure of Hypocatastasis .
Matt. 18:14 . 'Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of
these little ones should perish.¨
No! It is contrary to His wish. His will embraces much more than this, it includes:
Predestination ( Eph. 1:5 ).
Regeneration ( John 1:13 ; Jas. 1:18 ).
Deliverance from the world ( Gal. 1:4 ).
Sanctification ( 1 Thess. 4:3 ; Heb. 10:10 ).
Final Preservation, Resurrection, and Eternal Life ( John 6:39 , 40 ).
Matt. 22:3 . 'And they would not come.¨ The Greek is: ( ouk
eethelon elthein ), they did not wish to come , this is enhancing, by Meiosis , the fact that
they not only absolutely refused, but in doing so they acted only on the wish of their
heart.
Luke 17:9 . 'Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were
commanded him? I trow not.¨ i.e. , I think not. More is to be understood than is
expressed: i.e. , I know very well he doth not thank him. So far from that, he scarcely
notices the matter.
John 15:20 . 'If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also,¨ i.e. , as surely
as they have NOT kept my saying, they will not keep yours. The whole context shows
that this must be the figure of Meiosis .
Rom. 10:19 . 'I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people.¨
( ouk ethnos ), a non-people . So 1 Pet. 2:10 : 'Which in time past were not a people,¨
*
( ou laos ). Owing to the reversive power of the negative our own word ' nothing
¨ is literally a non-thing, i.e. , a thing which has no existence at all.
f
Such were we Gentiles. But through grace, 'a people¨ is now being taken out from
among all nations ( Acts 15:14 . Rev. 5:9 ; 7:9 ), which shall have an existence for ever
and ever.
1 Cor. 9:17 . 'For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.¨ He means gratuitously;
but lessens the wording, so as to increase his meaning. See also under Oxymoron .
1 Cor. 15:9 . 'I am the least of the apostles.¨ This is said to magnify the grace of God
(verse 10 ). Whereas, when magnifying his claims, he could say to these same
Corinthians, 'I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles¨ ( 2 Cor. 11:5 ,
and 12:11 , 12 ).
Eph. 3:8 . 'Who am less than the least of all saints.¨ This marks the apostle`s growth
in grace, who a year after could say he was 'the chief of sinners¨ ( 1 Tim. 1:15 ). See also
under Oxymoron .
Philem. 11 . 'Which in time past was to thee unprofitable.¨ This is a Meiosis , for
Onesimus was guilty of injury.
* This is not the same as Rom. 9:26 , where the pronoun 'my¨ is used.
f In Amos 6:13 , 'a thing of naught¨ is the same, a non-existent-thing
Heb. 9:12 . 'The blood of goats and calves,¨ ( 13 ) 'the blood of bulls and of goats.¨
Here the figure lessens the importance of the sacrifices which were offered under the
Law, in order to increase by contrast the great sacrifice to which they all pointed.
Heb. 13:17 . 'For that is unprofitable for you.¨ It is really much more than that! It is
disastrous and ruinous.
1 John 3:17 . 'But whoso hath this world`s good,¨ etc.
Here the Greek is ( ton bion tou kosmou ), the life of the world,
i.e. , the means of life or of living which the world gives. Whoso has this, and will not
give it up for his brother, how dwelleth the Love of God in him? The force of the Meiosis
is seen when we compare this with verse 16 , 'We ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren.¨ But here is a man who will not only not lay down his life ( ), psyche , but
will not even part with the means of supporting it. What a contrast to true love! Hereby
know we LOVE , because HE laid down His life for us.

Tapeinosis; or, Demeaning
(A lessening of a thing in order to increase it)
Ta-pei-n ´-sis . Greek , a demeaning or humbling .
This differs from Meiosis in that in Meiosis one thing is diminished in order, by
contrast, to increase the greatness of another , or something else.
Whereas, in Tapeinosis the thing that is lessened is the same thing which is increased
and intensified.
The figure was also called ANTENANTIOSIS . Ant´-en-an-ti-o´-sis ( anti
), over against , or instead of ( enantios ), opposite .
When the figure is used parenthetically, it is called ANÆRESIS . See below under
Parenthesis .
The figure is used in connection with nouns, verbs, and adverbs,
1. Positively.
2. Negatively.
1. POSITIVELY
ONE ( ) in the plural (in Heb.) is used for a few or some:
Gen. 27:44 . 'Tarry with him a few days, until thy brother`s fury turn away.¨
We learn from 29:20 that the love which he bore to Rachel is emphasized by speaking
of the seven years in which he served for her as 'a few days.¨
SOME ( ) in plural (in Greek) is used for the greater number:
Rom. 3:3 . 'For what if some did not believe?¨ Our attention is by this at once pointed
to the fact that it was in reality the very opposite. It was only 'some¨ who believed, while
the nation as a whole did not believe.
1 Tim. 4:1 . 'Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits ( , wandering or
deceiving spirits or angels ), and teachings of demons:¨ i.e. , a vast number of people will
be deceived by evil angels and demons in these last days.
Acts 5:36 . 'Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody¨ ( ) i.e. , some great
person; as is explained in Acts 8:9 .
Gal. 2:6 . 'But of these who seemed to be somewhat ( ).¨ They seemed to be
something, really they were nothing ( 6:3 ).
SICK , for those who were dead in sins:
Rom. 5:6 . , asthen n , sick ).
We were really 'dead in sin,¨ but are spoken of as infirm, because called 'ungodly,¨
'sinners¨ (verses 68 ), 'enemies¨ (verse 10 ).
REBUKE , for the great punishment of excommunication.
2 Cor. 2:6 . 'Sufficient to such a man is , ),
rebuke . See further under Idiom
2. NEGATIVELY
When the emphasis is made by the use of the negative in order to express the positive in a
very high degree, this is the figure of Antenantiosis (see above).
When we say of a man that 'he is no fool,¨ we mean that he is very wise; or when we
say of a thing, 'it is not a hundred miles from here,¨ we mean that it is quite close at
hand. We thus emphasize that which we seem to lessen: e.g. , when it is written, 'I praise
you not,¨ it means I greatly blame you!
Ex. 20:7 . 'The LORD will not hold him guiltless:¨ i.e. , He will hold him guilty of
breaking the whole law.
Lev. 10:1 . They 'offered strange fire before the LORD , which he had commanded
them not.¨ Here, the figure is translated. The Heb. is literally, 'which the Lord had not
commanded them,¨ i.e. , He had very solemnly prohibited it; see Ex. 30:9 .
Num. 21:23 . 'And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border.¨ Heb.:
'would not give permission,¨ i.e. , he did more, he prohibited them, as the verse goes on
to explain, and opposed them even to the extent of using force.
Ps. 43:1 . 'Plead my cause against an ungodly (margin, Heb., unmerciful`) nation.¨
Heb. ( l chahseed ), not merciful, i.e., cruel and malignant .
Ps. 51:17 . 'A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise:¨ i.e. , Thou
wilt graciously accept and welcome and bless.
Ps. 78:50 . 'He spared not their soul from death,¨ i.e. , He gave their life over to the
pestilence.
Ps. 83:1 ( 2 ). 'Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O
God:¨ i.e. , Arise, O God; and speak; vindicate and deliver me from mine enemies.
Ps. 84:11 . 'No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly:¨ i.e. , he
will give them every good thing, and preserve them from all evil.
Ps. 107:38 . 'And suffereth not their cattle to decrease:¨ i.e. , will abundantly multiply
their cattle.
Prov. 12:3 . 'A man shall not be established by wickedness:¨ i.e. , he shall be
overthrown.
Prov. 17:21 . 'The father of a fool hath no joy:¨ i.e. , he hath plenty of sorrow.
Prov. 18:5 . 'It is not good to accept the person of the wicked,¨ i.e. , it is a very hateful
thing in God`s sight to do so.
Prov. 30:25 . 'The ants are a people not strong,¨ i.e. , very weak.
Isa. 14:6 . 'And none hindereth,¨ i.e. , all help.
Isa. 42:3 . 'A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not
quench:¨ i.e. , He will strengthen the bruised reed and kindle to a flame the smouldering
wick.
Jer. 2:8 . 'The prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not
profit:¨ i.e. , that led to their ruin. So verse 11 .
Zech. 8:17 . 'Love no false oath,¨ i.e. , hate every such oath.
Matt. 2:6 . And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the
princes of Juda:¨ i.e. , thou art the greatest!
Matt. 12:32 . 'It shall not be forgiven him:¨ i.e. , he shall have the gravest punishment
in this life and in the life to come ( Mark 3:29 ). Just as those, on the other hand, whose
sins are forgiven are 'blessed¨ ( Rom. 4:7 ).
John 6:37 . 'Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.¨
Here, there is very much more implied than is expressed in the literal words. Not only
will I not cast him out, but I will by all means receive him and preserve him, and defend
him: he shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck him out of My hand. Compare
10:28 , and see further under Ellipsis ( page 106 ) and Repeated Negation and Synonymia
below.
John 14:18 . 'I will not leave you comfortless,¨ i.e. , I will certainly come to you by
My Holy Spirit and be your ever present help and defence. Moreover, I will come again
and receive you to Mine own self.
Acts 20:12 . 'And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted:¨
i.e. , they were very greatly comforted.
Acts 21:39 . 'A citizen of no mean city:¨ i.e. , a very important city.
Tarsus was celebrated as a distinguished seat of Greek Philosophy and Literature.
According to Strabo it ranked with Athens and Alexandria in the number of its schools
and learned men.
Acts 22:18 . 'Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not
receive thy testimony concerning me:¨ i.e. , they will not only reject it, oppose it to the
uttermost, but will seek to kill thee.
Acts 26:19 . 'I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision¨: i.e. , I was immediately
and altogether obedient. He thus makes his own obedience more emphatic; while by
stating it negatively he denies what his enemies implied. They implied that he ought to
have been disobedient; but he meets this by asserting that he was 'not disobedient,¨ i.e. ,
most obedient.
Rom. 1:13 . 'I would not have you ignorant, brethren.¨
This means very much more than a mere negative wish. It is a strong positive and
earnest desire that they might assuredly know and be well instructed.
Ignorance is man`s special human infirmity. Animals know more than man ( Isa. 1:3
). No animal is so helpless as man in the years of infancy.
It is remarkable, therefore, that in connection with the Church of God, and the epistles
addressed to churches as such, containing the special instruction neccssary in
consequence of man`s ignorance concerning the church as the mystery of God, there are
six different occasions on which it is written: 'I would not have you ignorant, brethren.¨
' SIX ¨ is the number specially significant of man . Man was created on the sixth day;
and, wherever in Scripture we have this number or any multiple of it, it always stamps the
subject as having to do with Man.
*
The significance of these six occurrences of this weighty expression will be seen by
those who have patience to work them out in the order in which they are given to us by
the Holy Spirit.
Rom. 1:13 . Of Paul`s purpose to prosecute his great mission and ministry to the
saints in Rome. So chap. 15:23 .
Rom. 11:25 . That blindness in part is happened to Israel.
1 Cor. 10:111 . That the camp in the wilderness was the type of the baptized
assembly under the preaching of the kingdom.
1 Cor 12:1 . Concerning spiritual things connected with the Church as the Body of
Christ by the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
2 Cor. 1:8 . Of the trouble at Ephesus, at the close of his ministry there ( Acts 19 ),
when his preaching the kingdom ends and the revelation of the Mystery begins.
1 Thess. 4:13 . Concerning those that are asleep. Their resurrection and translation
with the saints that are alive at the coming of the Lord, to be for ever with Him,
when the Mystery is completed.
Rom. 1:16 . 'I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:¨ i.e. , I count it my highest
honour and glory to proclaim it, and to suffer for it, while I have full confidence in its
power to accomplish all God`s purposes of grace.
Rom. 4:19 . 'And being not weak in faith¨: i.e. , Abraham being very strong in faith.
Rom. 5:5 . 'Hope maketh not ashamed¨: i.e. , it enables us to 'rejoice in hope of the
glory of God¨ (verse 2 ), and to 'joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.¨ This hope,
therefore, is no false hope, but will prove a great and eternal reality.
Rom. 10:2 . 'They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.¨
* Many illustrations of this will be found in Number in Scripture , by the same author and
publisher.
By lessening the terms of the expression, the truth is more strongly stated; and the
emphasis is thrown on their blindness and ignorance, which is enlarged upon in the next
verse, while zeal and ignorance are combined in verse 19 . Hence the expression, 'not
according to knowledge,¨ by the figure of Tapeinosis means really with great blindness .
Rom. 13:10 . 'Love worketh no ill to his neighbour¨: i.e. , it refuses to work ill, and
not only so, but it works good for his neighbour.
1 Cor. 2:14 . 'The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God¨: i.e. , he
does more than this, he rejects them, he will not have them: why? 'For they are
foolishness unto him.¨ This on the one hand constitutes the guilt of man in the invariable
result of the exercise of his 'free-will¨: while on the other hand it is equally true as to
God`s sovereignty; 'neither can he know them (lit., get to know them), because they are
spiritually discerned.¨
1 Cor. 11:22 . 'I praise you not¨: i.e. , I condemn you in this thing.
2 Cor. 2:11 . 'We are not ignorant of his devices,¨ i.e. , we are very well aware of
them.
Gal. 5:21 . 'They which do such things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God¨: i.e. ,
they shall not only not inherit the kingdom, but shall be cast out into outer darkness and
destroyed without remedy.
Heb. 11:16 . 'Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God¨: i.e. , God is
well-pleased to be their God, and to own them as His chosen people.
Heb. 13:2 . 'Be not forgetful to entertain strangers¨: i.e. , make it your business to
remember to show hospitality.
Rev. 12:11 . 'They loved not their lives unto the death.¨ The fact implied is that they
disregarded their life to the point of death, and that because there was One whom they
loved more than life and for whose sake they willingly gave it up.
Rev. 18:7 . 'I am no widow¨: i.e. , I am well-husbanded and prosperous.

Catabasis (See Anabasis )

Syllogismus; or, Omission of the Conclusion
Syl´-lo-gis´-mus . Greek, , a reckoning altogether , a bringing of all the
premisses; and, the conclusion before the mind. From ( sun ), together , and
( logizesthai ), to reckon . (Hence the word 'logic¨).
The regular form of every argument consists of three propositions of which the first
two are called ' premisses ¨ (the first being the major , and the latter the minor ), while
the last, which necessarily follows from them, is called the ' conclusion .¨
But the term Syllogismus is given to this figure because it is a departure from this
rule, the law of logic being legitimately broken for the sake of emphasis.
It falls into this division because it is a figure of Rhetoric, in which something is
omitted for the sake of emphasis. It is not the omission of words , as such, as in Ellipsis;
or of sense , as in Meiosis or Tapeinosis; but it is a figure in which the premisses are
stated, but the conclusion is omitted, and left to the imagination to enhance and heighten
the effect; as when we say, 'it can be better imagined than described.¨ Indeed, so great is
the emphasis which is thus acquired that the Latins gave it other names.
They called it SIGNIFICATIO , because something is signified which is not
expressed:
RATIOCINATIO , or Reasoning , because only the Reasons (and not the conclusion)
are stated; or, special importance is given to the reasons , even though the conclusion
may be given (See Rom. 3 )
And it is called EMPHASIS , because of the emphasis thus given to the argument
which is omitted.
1 Sam. 17:4–7 . The description of Goliath`s armour and weapons is given; and it is
left for us to conclude how great his strength must have been.
Isa. 2:3 , 4 . 'Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from
Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they
shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks.¨
Here the facts, or premisses, are stated, but it is left for us to draw the conclusion as to
the marvellous results of this wonder-working word, which going out of Zion shall bring
them about. That 'Word of the Lord¨ by which the heavens and earth were created shall
presently be spoken and bring peace and prosperity to the nations.
Isa. 4:1 . 'And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will
eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take
away our reproach.¨
This is the continuation and conclusion of chap. 3: in which, from verse 18 , the
punishment of the pride of the 'daughters of Zion¨ is set forth: but it is left for us to draw
the solemn conclusion, How great must be the desolation:the gates, where the
husbands of the daughters of Zion used to assemble, now mourn and are deserted; ( 3:26 .
Jer. 14:2 . Lam. 1:4 )and the women whom many men did woo now come and offer
themselves to one man, renouncing the legal claim of the wife ( Ex. 21:10 ).
Isa. 49:20 . Here the greatness of Zion`s blessing and prosperity is shown by the
statement of the facts in verses 1821 . It is left for us to draw this conclusion which is
left unstated.
Matt. 10:30 . 'But the very hairs of your head are all numbered,¨ i.e. , therefore how
infinite must be the knowledge of our 'Father¨! how should I not therefore fear Him!
Matt. 24:20 . 'But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath
day.¨ The conclusion is implied:for then would your troubles and distress be increased
and intensified beyond the power of tongue to tell.
Luke 7:44 . 'Thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with
tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.¨ What is implied isHow much greater
therefore is her love than yours! So verses 45 and 46 .
1 Cor. 11:6 . 'If the woman be not covered, let her be shorn also.¨
But she is not shorn, therefore the conclusion is, let her be covered.
2 Thess. 3:10 . 'If any would not work, neither should he eat.¨
Here the conclusion is to be supplied: Every man must eat; therefore every man must
work: for it is not meant that a man`s food is to be withdrawn from him.

Enthymema; or, Omission of Premiss
En´-thy-mee-ma , a thought or a consideration .
This is the opposite of SYLLOGISMUS .
In Syllogismus, the premisses are stated, but the conclusion is omitted; while, in
Enthymema , the conclusion is stated and one or both of the premisses omitted.
Both are alike, therefore, in being an abbreviated Syllogism.
It is also related to Hypocatastasis ( q.v. ), in that it is an implication. But in
Hypocatastasis it is an ordinary statement or word which is to be implied; while, in
Enthymema it is the premiss of an argument which is left to be supplied.
The Latins call it COMMENTUM , a thought or a contrivance , and CONCEPTIO ,
the wording or drawing up of a statement .
It may be illustrated thus:'We are dependent; we should, therefore, be humble.¨
Here the major premiss is omitted'dependent persons should be humble.¨
A Biblical example occurs in
Rom. 7:1–6 . Here the fact is asserted that law has dominion over a man only while he
is alive (verse 1 ), and this fact is applied to those who died ( i.e. , were judicially
reckoned as having died) when Christ died. So that all the members of the body of Christ
died, and therefore the law has no logger dominion over them (verses 5 , 6 ).
In proof of this, an illustrative argument is used, as to the case of a husband and wife.
Both are bound to each other by law: and, while both are alive the union of one of them
with another person is unlawful; but, if one be dead, then such a union on the part of the
survivor is legitimate.
But only one of the cases is given: viz. , the death of the husband.
The death of the wife is there, but only in thought; and this other premiss has to be
supplied by the mind in the course of the argument.
So that after the third verse we must add the other premiss in some such words as
these:
' And if the wife die, I need not say that she is free”; or, ' but it goes without saying
that if the wife die, of course she is free .¨
Wherefore (as the conclusion is given in verse 6 ) we died in Christ, and are therefore
free from that law wherein we were held; for 'he that has once so died stands justified
(the penalty having been paid) from his sin.
Now if we died with Christ we have been raised also with Him ( 6:8 . Col. 2:12 ).
Thus we were planted together with Him in 'His death, and raised with Him ( 6:4 ) to
newness of life. And be it noted that this is no mere marriage union. To prevent this
conclusion the verb to marry is not used in verses 3 and 4 . There, instead of the usual
verb marry , which we should expect to find, we have the verb to become , with the
dative case; and must in each instance supply the Ellipsis . In the case of the woman, she
'becomes¨ joined, 'becomes¨ bound under the law to a husband; but, in the case of those
who died with Christ, they ' become ¨ united to Him as members of His body and
'become¨ His property. Their union with Him is not in Incarnation, but in death, burial,
and resurrection; and having died with Him are freed from the Law, instead of being
bound to it.
Matt. 27:19 . 'Have thou nothing to do with that just man.¨
Here the fire, and feeling, and urgency of Pilate`s wife is all the more forcible, in that
she does not stop to formulate a tame, cold argument, but she omits the major premiss;
which is greatly emphasized by being left for Pilate to supply. The complete Syllogism
would have been:
1. It is very wicked to punish a just or innocent man.
2. Jesus is a just man.
3. Have therefore nothing to do with punishing him.
The conclusion thus contains the proof of each of the premisses on which it rests.
Thus is emphasized one of the four testimonies borne to the innocence of the Lord
Jesus by Gentiles at the time of His condemnation.
1. Pilate`s wife ( Matt. 27:19 ).
2. Pilate himself, 'I am innocent of the blood of this just person¨ ( Matt. 27:24 ).
3. The dying malefactor, 'This man hath done nothing amiss¨ ( Luke 23:41 ).
4. The Centurion, 'Certainly this was a righteous man¨ ( Luke 23:47 ).
2
SECOND DIVISION
FIGURES INVOLVING ADDITION
WE now come to the second great division of our subject, viz. , figures which depend, for
their new form, on some addition , either of words or of sense.
In the one case, only the words are affected, by their repetition in various forms and
ways. In the other, the addition is made to the sense by the use of other words.
These all come under the head of Pleonastic Figures; just as the first division included
all Elliptical Figures.
2
Bullinger, E. W. (1898). Figures of speech used in the Bible (Page 137). London; New
York: Eyre & Spottiswoode; E. & J. B. Young & Co.
All these various forms of repetition and addition are used for the purpose of
attracting our attention, and of emphasizing what is said, which might otherwise be
passed by unnoticed.
When we reflect that no error in composition is more readily made than the undue
repetition of words, called Tautology , it is remarkable that there are more than forty
different ways of repeating words used by the Holy Spirit: over forty legitimate modes of
breaking the law which governs the use of language; and of repeating words, in such a
way that not only is there no tautology, but beauty is added to the composition and
emphasis given to the sense.
Under this division come all the forms of repetition, either of letters, words,
sentences, or subjects; which may be thus classified:
Figures involving REPETITION and ADDITION
I. AFFECTING WORDS.
1. Repetition of letters and syllables.
a. The same letters.
b. Different letters.
2. Repetition of the same word.
a. In the same sense.
b. In a different sense.
3. Repetition of different words.
a. In a similar order (but same sense).
b. In a different order (but same sense).
c. With a similar sound (but different sense).
d. With a different sound (but similar sense).
4. Repetition of sentences and phrases.
5. Repetition of subjects ( Correspondence ).
II. AFFECTING THE SENSE.
1. By way of Repetition.
2. By way of Amplification.
3. By way of Description.
4. By way of Conclusion.
5. By way of Interposition.
6. By way of Argumentation.
We will now consider the various Figures which come under these various heads:
I. AFFECTING WORDS
1. OF LETTERS AND SYLLABLES
( a ) Of the same Letters

Homœopropheron; or, Alliteration
The Repetition of the same Letter or Syllable at the commencement of Successive Words
Ho-mœ-o-proph´-e-ron ( homoios ), like , and ( propher ), to
carry , or place before: i.e. , Successive words which carry the same letter or the same
syllable before , or at the beginning.
This figure, therefore, is the repetition of the same letter or syllable at the beginning
of two or more words in close succession. Its English name is ALLITERATION (from ad
, to , and litera , letter ). Churchill speaks of 'Apt Alliteration`s Artful Aid.¨
This figure is seen, of course, only in the Hebrew and the Greek. It is difficult to
reproduce it in a translation. And where it occurs in the English it may be only accidental,
and carry no weight or emphasis.
The song of Deborah, in Judges 5 , abounds with examples of Homœopropheron ,
which add great fire and force and beauty to the original. It is impossible to accurately
and literally reproduce it in English, but with a little liberty we can give the English
reader some idea of the use of this Figure.
We may as well, at the same time, do so according to its structure (see under
Correspondence ) and we present the structure first in outline, before setting it out in full.
The structure of Judges 5 in outline:
A 2 . Praise to Jehovah for the avenging of Israel.
B a 2 , 3 . Israel. The people`s voluntary service.
b 48 . Contrasted states of the country.
a 9 . Israel. The leaders` voluntary service.
b 10 , 11 . Contrasted states of the country.
B b 1218 . Contrasted conduct.
a 1922 . The Enemy. Assault and defeat.
b 2327 . Contrasted conduct.
a 2830 . The Enemy. Presumption and disappointment.
A 31 . Praise to Jehovah for the avenging of Israel.
Adhering to this form, we may set the song forth thus:
A 2 . Bless ye Jehovah,
B a That the L eaders in Israel took the lead;
That the people willingly offered themselves.
H ear, O ye kings; H earken, O ye princes;
I , even I , will sing to Jehovah,
Will strike the strings unto Jehovah, Israel`s God.
b Jehovah, when thou s ettest f orth from S eir,
When thou wentest f orth f rom Edom`s f ield,
The earth trembled, yea, the heavens d ropped;
Yea, the clouds d ropped d own water,
The m ountains m elted away before Jehovah,
Even yon, Sinai, before Jehovah, God of Israel.
*
In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,
In Jael`s days,
The highways were effaced;
The travellers had to w alk in tortuous w ays,
E ffaced were Israel`s hamlets e ffaced
Till I, D eborah, r ose up r ose up a mother in Israel
New g ods had they g ot them,
Therefore the p ress of war a pp roached their gates.
Was there f ound s hield or s pear among f orty thousand in Israel?
a My heart is with the leaders of Israel,
Who willingly offered themselves among the People:
Bless ye Jehovah.
b Ye who ride upon white asses,
Ye who r ecline upon r ich r ugs,
W ho w alk by the w aySpeak!
Instead of the shouting of the archers among the water-drawers.
They praise there the righteous acts of Jehovah,
His righteous acts in His villages in Israel.
Then the People of Jehovah hastened down to the gates.
B b A w ake, a w ake,
f
Deborah!
* Hyperbole ( q.v. ).
A w ake, a w ake, s peak the s ong!
Barak, arise! c onquer thy c onquest,
Thou son of Abinoam.
Then down against the r obust r ushed a r emnant;
Jehovah`s Host r ushed with me against the p owerful,
From Ephraim`s stockthe victors over Amalek:
After thee marched Benjamin among thy peoples;
From M achir came the M asters,
M en that wield the M arshall`s staff out of Zebulun.
But the princes of Issachar were with Deborah,
Yea, Issachar was like B arak,
When into the valley his men th rew th emselves at his feet,
While by the b rooks a b ode Reu b en,
With great resolutions of heart.
Why sittest thou among the f olds listening to the shepherd`s f lute?
By the b rooks Reu b en has great searchings of heart.
Gilead stays beyond Jordan,
And DanWhy does he abide in his s hips?
Asher s tays s till on the s hore of the s ea,
S taying s till in its bays,
But Z ebulun ha z arded his s oul unto death
With Naphthali, upon the heights of the field.
f Geminatio .
a K ings c ame to fightthen the K ings of C anaan fought
At Taanach and by M egiddo`s M eres;
S ilver gained they none.
From heaven they s trove; the s tars in their courses
They s trove against S isera:
Ki s hon`s s tream s wept them away
A s tream of s uccours was Ki s hon`s s tream.
Tread s trongly on, my S oul!
When s truck the s ounding hoof of the r ushing s teed
Of the r ushings
|
s trong ones.
b C urse ye M eroz, com m ands Jehovah`s Angel,
C urse ye, c urse ye her inhabitants,
Be c ause they c ame not to Jehovah`s help,
To Jehovah`s help
*
amid the mighty.
Blessed above women be Jael,
Heber the Kenite`s wife,
Blessed above women
f
of the tents!
He asks for water, she gives him milk;
In a b eauteous b owl she c arries him cream:
With her left hand she t akes the t ent-peg,
With her right the h eavy h ammer,
| Epizeuxis ( q.v. ).
* Epizeuxis ( q.v. ).
f Anaphora ( q.v. ).
S he s wings it over S isera, s mites his head,
Crashes through and t ransfixes his t emples,
At her f eet he f allshe lies,
At her f eet
f
he lies, writhes again, and f alls,
As he writhes himself again he f allsdead!
|
a Sisera`s mother l ooks from the window-edge,
She l ooks from the l attice- l edge and l aments:
'Why l ingers his car so l ong?
Why s top his chariots` s teps?¨
Her wise ladies answer her,
But she repeats her words to herself:
'Will they not find booty and share it?
Two m aidens for each m an;
||
Booty of purple robes for Sisera,
Yea, booty of purple robes!
Two for each neck of the captors?¨
§
A So f all all thy f oes, O Jehovah,
But let them that love Him s hine forth as the s un in his s trength.
Rom. 11:33 . , anex ereuneeta ) are his
judgments, and his ways , anex ichniastoi )!¨
| Asyndeton ( q.v. ).
|| Some critics have quoted this as a specimen of the low moral standard of theScriptures,
not seeing that it is merely telling us what the heathen woman (Sisera`s mother) said!
And in that woman`s language we have the key to the victory which one woman won;
and to the vengeance which another woman wrought.
§ Aposiopesis ( q.v. ).
Here, the two important words are rendered still more emphatic by commencing with
the same syllables.
His judgments are anex ereuneeta (unsearchable), and His ways anex ichniastoi
(untrackable).
This means that His judgments are incomprehensible, and His ways untrackable. The
former word occurs nowhere else in the N.T.; the latter only here, and in Eph. 3:8 , where
it is rendered 'unsearch-able¨:'The unsearchable riches of Christ.¨ This does not
merely vaguely express that Christ`s riches are uncountable or untold, but that they
cannot be traced out . The context shows that this present interval between 'the
sufferings of Christ¨ and 'the glory that should follow,¨ had been kept a secret (
, musteerion , or mystery ), and had not been revealed, until it was made
known by the Spirit through Paul ( Rom. 16:25 , 26 . Eph. 3:211 . Col. 1:26 , 27 ). The
prophets sought to know the secret as to 'what or what manner of time¨ the Spirit of
Christ which was in them did signify: but, it was untrackable; they could not follow it:
His ways were 'past finding out.¨
*
1 Thess. 1:2 . 'We give thanks to God always for you all.¨ The last words are
emphasized by being put as a beautiful Homoo-propheron. The Greek is
( P antote P eri P ant n ), i.e. , always concerning you all.
1 Thess. 5:23 . We give our own rendering: 'And may the God of peace Himself
, holo teleis
, holo kleeron ), the spirit, and the soul, and the body, be preserved ( i.e. , reserved, see 1
) the parousia
(presence or coming) of our Lord Jesus Christ.¨
Here the two words are ' holo teleis kai holo kleeron .¨
Heb. 1:1 . 'God who at sundry times and in divers manners, etc.¨
( pol ymer s pol ytrop s pal ai ), ' in many parts and many ways
of old .¨
Here, there is both Homœopropheron and Homœteleuton: the two words both
beginning with poly - and ending with - s .

Homœoteleuton; or, Like Endings
The Repetition of the same Letters or Syllables at the end of Successive Words
* See The Mystery , by the same author and publisher.
H ´-mœ-o-tel-eu´-ton ( homoios ), like , and ( teleutee ), an
ending, i.e. , words with like endings .
This is the opposite Figure to Homœopropheron; and is used when successive words
end with the same or similar letters or syllables.
These two figures are for the most part involved in others which affect the whole of
the connected words; and therefore we shall meet with other examples as we proceed.
Mark 12:30 . 'This is the first commandment.¨ In the Greek this sentence consists of
three words, each ending with the same syllable: ( haut ee pr t ee
entol ee ); and thus our attention is called to this weighty saying.
1 Pet. 1:3 , 4 . 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled,
and that fadeth not away.¨
Here, the Homœoteleuton emphasizes the wondrous character of this inheritance:
( aphthar ton , amian ton , amaran ton ),
uncorruptible, undefiled, unfading . It is difficult accurately to reproduce the sound of
this in English; except in marking it by the voice in reading aloud.
We might say, incorruptible, indefilable, indestructible , but this would be at the
expense of exact accuracy in translating.

Homœoptoton: or, Like Inflections
The Repetition of Inflections
Ho-me-op´-to-ton ( homoios ), like , and ( pt sis ), a falling , which
in grammar means an inflection: i.e., a case formed by the declining of a noun, or tenses,
etc. , in the conjugation of a verb: as in the Latin message of Julius Cæsar, ' veni, vidi,
vici ,¨ i.e. , 'I came, I saw, I conquered.¨
This figure differs from the two former, in that the endings are not only similar, but
the similarity arises from the same inflections of verbs or nouns, etc.
It will be seen, therefore, that this figure belongs peculiarly to the Original languages,
and cannot always be transferred in translation.
Rom. 12:15 . 'Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.¨ Here
the inflections of the infinitive and participles necessarily go together in the Greek,
though, of course, not in the English.
. Chair ein meta chairon t n .
. Klai ein meta klaion t n .
The two lines likewise each exhibit an example of Polypt ton ( q.v. ), and also of
Homœopropheron ( q.v. ).
The figure may be reproduced in English thus:
Be cheerful with those that are glad,
Be tearful with those that are sad.
2 Cor. 11:3 . Lest your minds 'be corrupt , haplo
teetos , hagno teetos ), that is towards ( i.e. , with reference to)
Christ.¨
This is the reading of the R.V. , and is according to all the critical Greek Texts.
In English the words maybe rendered 'simpleness and singleness.¨
2 Tim. 3:2 , 3 . In these two verses nearly all the words end in - ( -oi ), the
masculine plural case-termination.
These similar endings may arise, as above, where the words are quite different. But
when the two words are derived from the same root; or when they occur, not in the
language in which they appear, but in the language from which they are translated (either
written or spoken), then the figure is called

Paromœosis: or, Like-Sounding Inflections
The Repetition of Inflections similar in Sound
Par´-o-mœ-o´-sis . Greek, , assimilation , especially of words; assonance .
It is from ( para ), beside ( homo sis ), likeness .
It is called also PAROMuON , , nearly like .
q.v. Which see.
R.V. The Revised Version, 1881.
Sometimes it is wrongly called Parechesis , , likeness of sound or tone ,
from , beside ( eechos ), a sound ( eecheesis ), a sounding .
But Parechesis properly describes the figure when one of the two words belongs to
another language, or when the similarity is seen only in the original language and not in
the translation. See Parechesis .
Matt. 11:17 . 'We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced ( rchee sasthe ); we
have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented ( ekop sasthe ).¨
Here the two words have the same ending, sasthe , which greatly emphasizes the
sense. It is as though we could render it, 'We have piped for you, and ye never stept ; we
dirged for you, and ye never wept.¨ Though this would emphasize it, it would be by
another figure ( Paronomasia , q.v. ), because the words are similar, only vaguely in
sound , but are not spelt with the same letters.
And, though the similar ending is caused by the inflection of the verb, it is not the
figure of Homœoptoton , because the two words are derived from the same root, which
lends an additional force and emphasis.
In the language of Syria, which Christ probably used, the words would be ,
ra-ked-toon , and , ar-ked-toon , both verbs being from the same root and
differing only in the conjugation: , meaning in one, to leap or spring up , from joy (
Ecc. 3:4 ) and in the other to leap or start up from fear ( Ps. 29:6 ; 114:4 , 6 ).
*
John 1:5 . 'And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.¨
The figure does not appear either in the English or the Greek: but in the Chaldee or
Syriac language 'darkness¨ is , k’vel and 'comprehended¨ is , kabel .
John 10:1 . 'He that entereth not in by the door into the sheep fold.¨ Is beautifully
expressed in the Syriac ,
1 Cor. 1:23 , 24 . In these verses there is a beautiful combination of four different
words from the same root in order to emphasize the solemnity of the passage:
'We preach Christ crucified ( , mishkal , a cross , see Gen. 48:14 ), unto the
Jews a stumbling-block ( , mikshol ), and unto the Greeks foolishness ( ,
sekel ), but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power ( ,
hishkeel ) of God and the wisdom ( , sekel ) of God.¨
* This figure is not preserved in the Hebrew translation of the New Testament; the word
being , rekadtem , and , sephadtem , which is Homœoteleuton pure and
simple.

Acrostichion: or, Acrostic
Repetition of the same or successive Letters at the beginnings of Words or Clauses
THE English name of this figure is Ac-ros´-tic ( akros
), at the point ( i.e. , at the beginning or the end ) and ( stichos ), a row or order . It
is a figure of repetition, not of the same letter, but of different letters at the beginning or
end of words arranged in lines .
These letters may be thus repeated at the beginning or end of lines, either in the same
order in which they occur in the Alphabet (in which case they are called
ABECEDARIAN ), or in some other certain or particular order, making the letters at the
beginning or end of successive lines or words spell another word.
The Greeks gave it another name, PARASTICHIS ( ) from ( para ),
beside , and ( stichos ), a row , meaning that the letters are placed at the side .
By the use of this peculiar figure, our attention is attracted to the special importance
of certain passages. There are thirteen such passages in the Scriptures, and whenever we
meet with them, we are asked to give great attention to them, and to put marked emphasis
upon them.
The following are all the Acrostic or Abecedarian passages in the Bible, in which the
order of the Alphabet is followed:
Pss. 9 . and 10 . These two Psalms are linked together by an irregular alphabet running
through, and thus combining the two. Ps. 9 beginning with and Ps. 10 with , which
begins the last half of the alphabet.
The figure tells us that we are to connect these two Psalms together, and shows us
that we are to read them together, and that their subject is one: viz.: 'the man of the earth¨
( 10:18 ), the Antichrist; whose days, character, and end they give. While 'the Great
Tribulation¨ is referred to twice ( 9:9 and 10:1 ). , ' times of trouble .¨ A
phrase which occurs only in these two places.
Other significant expressions also occur in each of the two Psalms:
'Arise,¨ 9:19 , 10:12 ; 'the oppressed,¨ 9:9 , 10:18 ; 'forget not the poor,¨ 9:12 ,
10:12 ; 'the heathen,¨ 9:5 , 15 , 17 , 19 , 20 , and 10:16 .
Ps. 9 is 'the expectation of the poor¨ ( 18 ). Ps. 10 is 'the desire of the meek¨ ( 17 ).
The acrostic alphabet is incomplete and irregular, like the 'times¨ which these Psalms
describe. We cannot reproduce the two Psalms here, but can only indicate the Acrostic in
them:
commences each of the four lines of verses 1 , 2 ; , Verse 3 ; , verse 5 ; is
wanting; , verse 6 ; , verses 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ; , verse 11 ; , verse 13 ; , verse 15 ; ,
verse 17 ; , verse 18 . , 10:1 ; , verse 5 ; , Verse 8 ; , , , are wanting; ,
verse 12 , is repeated from 9:19 in order to call our attention to the same words of the
same prayer; is found in verse 14 ; , twice in verse 15 ; , in verse 17 .
We must believe that the Acrostic is purposely incomplete, but what the design and
the lesson may be must be left to the patient students of God`s word. It may be that it is to
correspond with these 'times of trouble,¨ for they also will be broken up and incomplete.
Ps. 25 Here again the Acrostic is designedly irregular, proving its genuineness rather
than suggesting its corruption.
This design is shown by the fact that, in Ps. 34, the same letter is omitted, and the
same letter is duplicated by being added for the last verse. Ps. 25:22 and 34:22
commence with the same word ( pahdah ), ' redeem , ¨ and both verses thus marked
contain a similar sentiment: Ps. 25:22 , 'Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles¨:
and 34:22 , 'The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants.¨ These two verses are thus
made to stand out by themselves.
The Acrostic letters are thus distributed: , verses 1 and 2 ; , verse 2 (second
word); , verse 3 ; , verse 4 ; , verse 5 ; omitted; verse 6 ; , verse 7 ; , verse 8 ;
, verse 9 ; , verse 10 ; , verse 11 ; , verse 12 ; , verse 13 ; , verse 14 ; , verse
15 ; , verse 16 ; , verse 17 ; Omitted , verse 18 , 19 ; , verse 20 : , verse 21 ;
(repeated), verse 22 .
Ps. 24 Here, as in Ps. 25, the sixth letter is omitted, the alphabet ending at verse 21 ;
and the repeated thus puts verse 22 outside the alphabetical series.
Thus far the two Psalms (25 and 24) are framed on the same model.
In this Psalm, with the above exception, there is one letter left for each verse in its
order.
Ps. 37 Here the series is complete. The being masked behind the preposition (in
the word , for ever , verse 28 ), and the behind the conjunction ' but , ¨ in
verse 39 .
Every letter has two verses of two lines each, except three: , verse 7 ; , verse 20 ,
and , verse 34 , which have but one verse of three lines each.
*
The Acrostic is as follows: commences verse 1 ; , verse 3 ; , verse 5 ; ,
verse 7 ; , verse 8 ; , verse 10 ; , verse 12 ; , verse 14 ; , verse 16 ; , verse 18 ;
, verse 20 ; , verse 21 ; , verse 23 ; , verse 25 ; , verse 27 ; , verse 28 , third
line ('they are preserved for ever¨); , verse 30 ; , verse 32 ; , verse 34 ; , verse 35
; , 37 ; ,
f
verse 39 .
Ps. 111 The acrostic here is perfect. The Psalm has twenty-two lines, which commence
successively with the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
Ps. 112 is formed on precisely the same model, and the two Psalms form a pair, Ps. 111
being occupied with Jehovah and Ps. 112 with the man that feareth Jehovah. They may
be thus comparedthe letters marking the Correspondence ( q.v. ).
Ps. 111
cxi. a 13 . His righteousness for ever.
b 48 . Gracious and full of compassion; ever mindful of His covenant.
c 9 , 10 . His covenant and praise for ever.
Ps. 112
112 a 13 . His righteousness for ever.
b 48 . Gracious and full of compassion; in everlasting remembrance.
c 9 , 10 . His exaltation for ever.
Ps. 119 This Acrostic Psalm differs from every other. It consists of 176 verses, divided
into 22 groups of eight verses each: (8 × 22 = 176). The eight verses of each group begin
with the same letter. For example: the first eight verses each begin with Aleph (A), the
second eight with Beth (B); and so on through the whole Psalm.
* It is noteworthy that the first of these ( ) occurs seven verses from the beginning; the
last ( ), seven verses from the end; while the middle letter ( ) is the middle of the
whole Psalm.
f Ginsburg`s Hebrew Bible omits the Vau ( ).
It is very difficult to preserve this in a translation, and impossible where the letters of
one language are not the same either in power or number or order.
It so happens, however, that the ninth portion (verses 6572 ), in which each verse
begins with Teth (T), begins also with T in the Authorized Version in all the verses
except two ( 67 and 71 ). These can be easily made to begin with T also, by changing the
word 'Before¨ in verse 67 to Till; and the words 'It is¨ in verse 71 to ` Tis . Then it will
exactly correspond to the Hebrew original.
Attempts have been made to render other portions in a similar manner, but with little
success. What comes naturally in an Original Text, must be somewhat forced in
translating it into another language. We offer the following as an example:
A.
A h! the happinesses of the perfect in the way,
Such as walk in the law of Jehovah.
A h! the happinesses of the keepers of His testimonies,
Who seek Him with their whole heart.
A ssuredly they have not worked iniquity:
In His ways they ever walked.
A s to Thy commandmentsThou hast commanded us,
That we should diligently keep them.
A h! Lord , that my ways were prepared
To keep Thy statutes.
A shamed, then, I shall never be,
While I have respect unto all Thy commandments.
A ll my heart shall praise Thee in uprightness,
While I learn the judgments of Thy righteousness.
A ll Thy statutes also I will keep:
Leave me not utterly.
B.
B y what means shall a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed thereto according to Thy word.
B y every means my heart hath sought Thee:
Let me not err from Thy commandments.
B esides, I have laid up Thy word in my heart,
That I might not sin against Thee.
B lessed art Thou, O Jehovah,
Teach me Thy statutes.
B y my lips have I recounted
All the judgments of Thy mouth.
B y walking in Thy Mandate`s way,
I found joy beyond all wealth.
B y Thy precepts shall I guide my musings,
And shall pore o`er Thy paths,
B y thy statutes shall I be delighted;
Thy word I shall not forget.
Ps. 145 Here the Acrostic is perfect, with the exception of the letter Nun , (N), which
comes between verses 13 and 14 .
It has evidently dropped out through the carelessness of some scribe; for it must have
been in the manuscripts from which the Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic and Æthiopic
Versions were made, as they contain the verse. One Hebrew MS. has been found by Dr.
Ginsburg containing the verse; which reads, 'The LORD is faithful in all His words, and
holy in all His works.¨
Moreover, it falls in with the structure of the Psalm, for the member, in which verse
nun ( ) occurs, consists of verses 1320 and is as follows:
a 13 . 'Thou,¨ second person.
b 14 . 'He,¨ third person.
a 15 , 16 . 'Thou,¨ second person.
b 1720 . 'He,¨ third person.
The members b and b thus commence with similar words.
The Psalm is 'David`s Psalm of praise.¨ It is the only Psalm that is dignified by this
title. It is a special Psalm, therefore, and the Acrostic marks it as such, there being exactly
22 verses, one letter for each verse, and each verse consisting of two lines.
The structure (see under Correspondence ) shows that it consists of seven members,
arranged alternately, the subject of the first being Praise promised , and that of the
second, Praise offered in fulfilment of that promise.
It is as follows:
Psalm 145
A
1
1 , 2 . Praise promised (first person) for Jehovah Himself.
B
1
3 . Praise offered (third person) to Jehovah.
A
2
47 . Praise promised (first and third persons alternately) for Jehovah`s works.
B
2
8 , 9 . Praise offered (third person) for Jehovah`s works.
A
3
1012 . Praise promised (third person only) for Jehovah`s kingdom.
B
3
1320 . Praise offered (third person) for Jehovah`s kingdom.
A
4
21 . Praise promised (first and third persons) ( , shall bless , as in verse
10 ).
Prov. 31:10–31 is a perfect alphabetical Acrostic, marking and calling our attention to
this song in praise of a virtuous woman. Döderlein calls it ' a golden A B C for women .¨
It follows here, the words of a faithful mother. The following is the structure of the
passage:
A 10 . The woman and her worth.
B
1
11 , 12 . Her husband.
C 1322 . Her work.
B
2
23 . Her husband.
C 2427 . Her work.
B
3
28 , 29 . Her children and her husband.
A 30 , 31 . The woman and her worth.
Like Ps. 145 it consists of twenty-two verses, and each verse contains two lines.
Lam. 1 is an acrostic chapter. It consists of 22 verses, each of which commences with a
successive letter of the alphabet, and each consists of three lines, except verse 7 ( ,
Zayin ) which contains four lines.
Lam. 2 is the same, except that in this case it is verse 19 ( , Koph ) which contains four
lines. and (verses 16 and 17 ) are transposed.
Lam. 3 is different. It consists of 66 verses; the first three each commencing with (A);
the second three each commencing with
(B), and so on. Here, also as in chap. 2 , and (verses 4648 and 4951 ) are
transposed.
Lam. 4 Here, there are 22 verses, each verse commencing successively with the letters
of the alphabet, and consisting of two lines. Here, also as in chaps. 2 and 3, the and
(verses 16 and 17 ) are designedly transposed.
These are all the Alphabetical Acrostics.
There are, however, others, to which our attention is called by the Massorah, as well
as by their being written in larger characters in certain Manuscripts.
In these cases the Acrostic letters spell certain words. But these are no more
accidental than those which are alphabetical. Other acrostics have been found; but, as
they are without Massoretic or Manuscript authority (and, therefore, probably are
undesigned) we do not notice them.
Ps. 96:11 . The Massorah has a rubric calling attention to the name of Jehovah here in
a complete sentence of four words:
*
* Reading the English words backwards.
earth-the glad-be-let-and heavens-the rejoice-Let.
'Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad¨ (lit., ' Let-rejoice the-heavens
and-let-be-glad the-earth ¨).
This is the great truth and the grand climax of God`s purposes, which the Psalms as a
whole set forth and declare. Especially so in this fourth book of the Psalms, which reveals
those purposes in relation to the earth.
Ps. 96 is a call to 'all the earth¨ (verse 1 ) to sing the 'new song,¨ and Ps. 97 is, or rather
will yet be, the earth`s glad answer to that call.
*
Esther. In the Book of Esther four times the name of Jehovah occurs in the form of an
Acrostic.
f
Jehovah had declared ( Deut. 31:1618 ) that if His people forsook Him He would
hide His face from them. Here this threatening was fulfilled. But, though He was hidden
from them, He was present, working for them, to deliver them. Hence the outward form
of the book is in harmony with the circumstances of the people: Jehovah was not with
them, but He was for them; and therefore, though His name does not occur so that it may
be sounded and pronounced by the voice, it appears, so that it may be visible to the
opened eyes.
Further, the four Acrostics are all different from each other.
THE FIRST
occurs in 1:20 . It is formed by the initial letters, for the event was initial. It is formed by
spelling the word backwards , for Jehovah was overruling and turning back the wisdom
of man. The four Hebrew words are
i.e. , ' All the wives shall give ,¨ or exhibiting a similar Acrostic in English
' D ue R espect O ur L adies¨
shall give to their husbands, etc.¨
This counsel resulted in bringing Esther to the throne; so that, when Haman`s plot had
been made, it might be thwarted ( 4:14 ).
* See A Key to the Psalms .
f See a separate pamphlet on this subject by the same author and publisher, The Name of
Jehovah in the Book of Esther .
THE SECOND
( 5:4 ) is formed, as before, by the initial letters; for Jehovah was initiating His plans: but
it is spelt forwards (as in our common form of Acrostics), for Jehovah was ruling rather
than overruling. The four Hebrew words are
' Let the King and Haman come this day ,¨ or,
' L et O ur R oyal D inner
be graced this day by the King and Haman.¨ The name of Jehovah appears in the
invitation; for He was to be there in order to bring the counsels of man to nought and¨
take the wise in their own craftiness.¨
Nothing happens at the dinner beyond an invitation to Haman to dine at the royal
table the next day. 'Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart¨ ( 5:9 ).
Yes, 'that day,¨ for it was his last!
THE THIRD ACROSTIC
( 5:13 ) is the beginning of the end. Hence it is formed by the final letters, for the end was
approaching. It is read backwards , for the Lord was turning back all the proud purposes
of Haman. Haman goes home to his wife and says:
' This availeth me nothing ,¨ or 'Yet am I
sa D , fo R n O avai L
is all this to me.¨
This sadness was a precursor of, and foreboded, his coming execution. Haman dines
on the morrow with the king and queen; and events soon reached their climax; which
comes in
THE FOURTH ACROSTIC
( 7:7 ). It is again in the final letters, for Haman`s end had come. It is spelt forwards ; for
Jehovah was ruling , and had determined the event:
Haman saw ' that evil was determined against him ,¨ or, 'For he saw that there was
evi L t O fea R determine D
against him by the King.¨
There was indeed evil to fear: for that evil had been determined not by King
Ahasuerus, but by Jehovah: and the evil came swiftly upon him, for he was at once taken
out and hanged.
Thus these four Acrostics at once conceal and reveal the Name of Jehovah, and
emphasize the four pivots on which the whole history turns.
Est. 7:5 . This is another Acrostic for which there is Massoretic authority, the letters
being written in larger characters in certain MSS
It is that name by which God revealed himself to Moses and to Israel, the 'I AM ,¨
who had come down to deliver them. He who came down to deliver them in Egypt now
comes down to deliver them in Persia: and, though He was not revealed, nor His name
written, yet He has caused it to be emblazoned on the pages of the history.
When Ahasuerus learned from Esther, that 'the Jews` enemy¨ had laid his plot to
destroy the whole nation, he cries out in his ignorance,
'WHO IS HE, AND WHERE IS HE
that durst presume in his heart to do so?¨ He uses the words of which the final letters
spell the name EHJHE (pronounced E-he-yhe both backwards and forwards).
EHEYEH knew who Haman was and where he was. He who is the great 'I am,¨ sees
the end from the beginning; and both rules and over-rules all events for the
accomplishment of His purposes, and for the deliverance of His People. (See Ex. 2:2325
; 3:14 , 15 ).
Acrostics, like many other figures, occur only in the Originals, and cannot be
reproduced in a translation.
It is possible also for figures to occur in a translation which are not in the Hebrew or
Greek! In such cases they are, of course, either accidental or designed. In either case they
are of no value or weight.
An Acrostic can be made, for example, in the English of John 3:16 , which is
accidental. But as it may be useful to some in teaching others, we note it here
John 3:16
G od so loved the world, that he gave his
O nly begotten
S on, that whosoever believeth in him should not
P erish, but have
E verlasting
L ife.
This verse contains the good news of the Gospel, which, by a singular coincidence, is
the very word which may thus be written as an Acrostic.
2. OF THE SAME WORD
( a ) In the Same Sense
There are no less than twelve ways in which the same word may be repeated in the same
sense in the same sentence. The first is called

Epizeuxis: or, Duplication
The Repetition of the Same Word in the Same Sense
When the word is repeated in close and immediate succession, no other word or words
coming between, it is called GEMINATIO , pronounced Gem-i-n ´-tio , which means a
doubling, duplication, a re-doubling . It is also called ITERATIO ( It´-er- -ti-o ),
iteration; CONDUPLICATIO ( con-d -pli-ca´-tio ), conduplication , or full doubling .
When the words do not immediately succeed each other, but are separated by one or
more intervening words, the figure is then called EPIZEUXIS , pronounced Ep´-i-zeux´-is
epi ), upon , and ( zeugnumi ), to
yoke , or join closely together . The intervening words thus form the yoke which joins the
repeated words.
The Latins give this figure the name of SUBJUNCTIO ( Subjunc´-tio ), which is
derived from the Greek and has exactly the same meaning, subjoining (from jugum, a
yoke ).
We may give the figure the English name of 'Duplication,¨ 'Gemination,¨
'Iteration,¨ or 'Repetition.¨
It is a common and powerful way of emphasizing a particular word, by thus marking
it and calling attention to it.
In writing, one might accomplish this by putting the word in larger letters, or by
underlining it two or three times. In speaking, it is easy to mark it by expressing it with
increased emphasis or vehemence.
How important for us to notice, in the Scriptures, the words and expressions which
the Holy Spirit has thus marked and emphasized in order to impress us with their
importance!
Gen. 6:17 . 'And, behold, I, even, I , do bring a flood of waters upon the earth.¨
Gen. 7:19 . 'And the waters prevailed exceedingly.¨
Here, as in other passages, the doubled adverb is used for a superlative. (
me d , me d ), greatly, greatly . We have the same words in 17:2 , 'And I will multiply
thee exceedingly ( me d , me d ). So also verse 6 , exceeding ; and verse 20 ,
exceedingly ; 30:43 , 'And the man increased exceedingly ( me d , me d )¨; Ex. 1:7 , '
Waxed exceeding ¨; Num. 14:7 , 'It is an exceeding ( me d , me d ) good land¨; 1 Kings
7:47 , 'Because they were exceeding ( me d , me d ) many¨; 2 Kings 10:4 , 'But they
were exceedingly ( me d , me d ) afraid¨; Ezek. 9:9 , 'And Judah is exceeding ( me d ,
me d ) great¨; 16:13 , 'And thou wast exceeding ( me d , me d ) beautiful¨; 37:10 , 'An
exceeding ( me d , me d ) great army.¨
Gen. 22:11 . 'And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said,
Abraham, Abraham .¨
This is the first occurrence of this figure, used of names. There are ten such in the
Scriptures (the number ten completing the cycle of Divine order).
*
Seven of these are used by God to man (four of which are in the Old Testament, and
three in the New), the other three being used under other circumstances. When thus used,
the figure calls special attention to the occasion or to the person, and to some solemn
moment of importance in the action, or of significance in the words.
Used by God to men. (7)
* See Number in Scripture , by the same author and publisher.
Old Test. (4)
1. Abraham, Abraham ( Gen. 22:11 ).
2. Jacob, Jacob ( Gen. 46:2 ).
3. Moses, Moses ( Ex. 3:4 ).
4. Samuel, Samuel ( 1 Sam. 3:10 ).
New Test. (3)
5. Martha, Martha ( Luke 10:41 ).
6. Simon, Simon
f
( Luke 22:31 ).
7. Saul, Saul ( Acts 9:4 ).
Used under other circumstances.
|
(3)
8. Lord, Lord ( Matt. 7:21 , 22 . Luke 6:46 ; 13:25 ).
9. Jerusalem, Jerusalem ( Matt. 23:37 . Luke 13:34 ).
10. Eloi, Eloi ( Mark 15:34 . Matt. 27:46 . Ps. 22:1 ).
It is to be noted that in raising the dead the Lord Jesus never used this figure! As
much as to say it needed no emphasis whatever to make the dead hear His voice (see
Mark 5:41 ).
The disciples may cry, ' Master, Master , we perish!¨ ( Luke 8:24 ), but He calmly
rebukes the winds and the waves.
Gen. 25:30 . 'And Esau said to Jacob, 'Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red
pottage .¨
f
, plural , plural )
as wheat: but I have prayed for thee ( singular ) that thy faith fail not.¨
Satan 'sifts¨ to get rid of the wheat! Christ 'fans¨ to get rid of the chaff ( Matt. 3:12 ).
| Each of these three examples is unique. In No. 8 it is the name of the Lord used by
man. In No. 9 it is used of God`s city and people by Christ. In No. 10 it is used of God by
Christ.
The Hebrew having no superlative, doubles the adjective (see under Idiom ),
( hah-ahdom, hah-ahdom ), red, red , i.e. , this very red [ food ]; or, this
deliciously red food .
Ex. 2:12 . 'And he looked this way and that way.¨
Here the Hebrew ( k h vahk h ), this and this , is well translated, The
repetition emphasizes the fact that he looked in every direction. See also Josh. 8:20 , i.e. ,
in any direction. 2 Kings 2:8 . Also Josh. 8:33 , ( mizzeh oomizzeh ), i.e. , on
all sides. 1 Kings 2:36 , 'Go not forth thence any-whither¨ ( ahneh vah-ah-nah
), this and this . 2 Kings 4:35 , see margin.
Ex. 4:16 . 'And he shall be , even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth:¨ i.e. , he
shall surely be, etc.
Ex. 15:16 . ' Till thy people pass over , O LORD , till the people pass over , which
thou hast purchased:¨ i.e. , till thy people have completely passed over and are safe on the
other side.
Ex. 23:30 . 'By little and little I will drive them out from before thee,¨ ( me-
at, me-at ), ' little, little , I will drive, etc.:¨ i.e. , I will drive them out by very slow
degrees. There s no 'by¨ or 'and¨ in the Hebrew of this passage. These words should be
in italics. The figure is beautifully rendered in English idiom, where two adverbs are used
to express the superlative.
Ex. 28:34 . 'A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate upon
the hem of the robe round about:¨ i.e. , alternately.
Ex. 34:6 . 'And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, JEHOVAH,
JEHOVAH .¨
Here, if we were to translate the figure idiomatically, it means that He proclaimed the
wonderful name, Jehovah! (which He did in the sixth and seventh verses).
Lev. 6:12 ( 5 ). 'And the priest shall burn wood on it every morning.¨
( babb ker, babb ker ), morning, morning : i.e. , every morning, regularly, and without
intermission.
Lev 24:8 . 'Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually.¨
Hebrew ( Bey m hashabbath beyom hashabbath ), on-the-
day-of the-Sabbath, on-the-day-of the-Sabbath : i.e. , every Sabbath, with emphasis on
the word 'every,¨ i.e. , every Sabbath without fail.
Num. 17:12 , 13 ( 27 , 28 ). After Aaron`s rod had been brought forth, the people were
frightened and cried to Moses, 'Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish. Whosoever
cometh near, cometh near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be
consumed with dying?¨
Here the figure is ( hakkahrev hakkahrev ), cometh near, cometh near .
It is idiomatically translated by the A.V. , but literally by the R.V.
There is also the repetition of the word ( ahvadnoo ), 'we perish, we all
perish.¨
Deut. 28:43 . Here the figure is really translated idiomatically, and not literally. 'The
stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high,¨ i.e. , (
mahalah, mahalah ), high, high ; 'and thou shalt come down very low¨ ( i.e. ,
( mattah, mattah ), low, low ).
Thus the figure emphasizes the depth of the misery into which Israel should be
brought if they would not hearken to the voice of Jehovah (verse 15 ).
Judges 5:22 .
'Then did the horsehoofs stamp:
By reason of the pransings, the pransings of his mighty ones.¨
( middaharoth daharoth ), i.e. , the violent pransings, if translated
idiomatically. See under Idiom .
1 Sam. 2:3 . 'Talk no more exceeding proudly.¨
( gevohah, gevohah ), proudly, proudly , i.e. , arrogantly or
haughtily.
Here the repeated adjective is idiomatically translated as a superlative.
2 Sam. 7:5 . 'Go and tell my servant David (Heb., to my servant, to David), Thus saith
the LORD , Shalt thou build, me a house for me to dwell in?¨
Here there is great emphasis to be placed on the repeated pronoun, 'me,¨ in order to
rebuke the popular and universal thought of the natural heart, which ever says, 'See now,
I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.¨
A.V. The Authorized Version, or current Text of our English Bible, 1611.
2 Sam. 18:33 . 'O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had
died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! ¨
Here the figure emphasizes the vehemence of David`s grief.
2 Kings 4:19 . 'And he said unto his father, My head, my head. ¨ ( ,
roshee, roshee .)
How eloquent: and what a volume is contained in this simple figure, so naturally used
by the child; as an English child would say, 'My poor head.¨
2 Chron. 4:3 . 'Compassing the sea round about.¨ ( sahveev, sahveev ),
around, around: i.e. , completely round, all around. The same repetition is used, to
express complete surrounding, in Ezek. 37:2 ; 40:5 , 14 , 16 (twice), 17 , 25 , 29 , 30 , 33 ,
36 , 43 ; 41:5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 16 (the second 'round about¨), 17 , 19 ; 42:15 , 20 ;
43:12 . In all these descriptions of the new and future Temple, the repetition of
( sahveev, sahveev ) emphasizes the completeness of the measurements.
Ps. 22:1 . ' My God, my God ( , Elee, Elee ), why hast thou forsaken me?¨
Who can tell the depth of meaning and of feeling, which this figure here reveals? It is
thus impressed upon us, because it cannot be expressed by words. See Mark 15:34 .
Ps. 67:6 , 7 ( 7 , 8 ).
' God shall bless us ,
God shall bless us :¨
i.e. , God shall really and truly bless us in very deed.
Ps. 77:16 ( 17 ).
' The waters saw thee , O God,
The waters saw thee. ¨
(See under Prosopopœia .) Thus emphatically describing Ex. 14
Ps. 96:13 .
' For He cometh, for He cometh :¨
i.e. , for He shall surely come.
Ps. 118:11 . Twice ' They compassed me about ¨; and in verses 15 and 16 , we have
three times ' The right hand of the Lord. ¨
Ps. 137:7 . 'Remember, O LORD , the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who
said, Rase it , rase it, even to the foundation thereof,¨ i.e. , ( ahroo, ahroo ),
'Down-with-it, down-with-it,¨ or we might render the figure, utterly overthrow it .
Prov. 20:14 . ' It is naught , it is naught , saith the buyer: but when he is gone his
way, then he boasteth.¨
Heb. is ( ra, ra ), i.e. , 'very bad,¨ or 'worth nothing.¨ What a picture of
Eastern bargaining!
Ecc. 3:18 . Lit., I said in my heart respecting the estate of the sons of men that . they
, even they are like beasts.¨
Here the figure of Pleonasm ( q.v. ) first emphasizes the word 'men,¨ and then the
Epizeuxis again increases that emphasis.
Ecc. 7:24 . 'That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?¨
( ahmok, ahmok ), deep, deep : i.e. , as it is translated, 'exceeding
deep.¨
Isa. 6:3 . The holiness of Jehovah is emphasized beyond measure, and the three
persons in one God are indicated by the thrice repeated ' Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of
hosts.¨ Here the highest degree of holiness is ascribed to Jehovah.
Isa. 21:9 . 'Babylon is fallen, is fallen ¨: to emphasize the certainty and the greatness
of the fall of that great city, and the completeness of its final overthrow. See also Rev.
18:2 .
Isa. 26:3 . 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace.¨
Here the figure is idiomatically translated . The Hebrew reads (see margin)
( shalom, shalom ), peace, peace , thus emphasizing the word and denoting much
peace, great peace; or, as in A.V. , 'perfect peace.¨ In 57:19 and Jer. 6:14 it is not thus
translated.
Professor Driver mentions this duplication of words as being a post-Isaian feature of
literary style ( Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament , pp. 233, 234). He
says, 'The literary style of chapters 4056 is very different from that of Isaiah¨: one of
the 'literary features¨ being the repetition of words. It is remarkable, as being
characteristic of the wisdom and acumen assumed by the higher critics, that though
Professor Driver mentions the repetition of , peace, peace , in Isa. 57:19 , he
does not mention the very same repetition in 26:3 : which is an evidence of the very unity
of the two parts of Isaiah which he is seeking to disprove.
*
Isa. 28:10 . This is probably the ironical language of the 'scornful men¨ (verse 14 ),
introduced by the Ellipsis of verse 9 : 'Whom [ say they ] shall he teach knowledge?.
for [ it is ] precept upon precept; precept upon precept; line upon line; line upon line;
here a little , and there a little. ¨ And, then, the Prophet retorts: 'For (or Yea, verily)
with stammering lips ( marg. , stammerings of lips ) and another tongue will he speak (
marg. , he hath spoken ) to this people.¨
In the English the Epizeuxis is not perfect, because the word 'upon¨ comes between,
but in the Hebrew the words follow each other closely.
i.e. , 'For it is tzav latzav; tzav latzav; kav lakav, kav lakav; z hr sh hm, z hr sh hm .¨
See also verse 13 .
Isa. 40:1 . ' Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.¨ Here the Epizeuxis
consists of one word in the Hebrew, ( nachmoo, nachmoo ): and calls our
attention to the passage; while it emphasizes the plenitude of that comfort wherewith
Jehovah has determined to comfort His People Israel at no distant date.
Isa. 51 . In this Scripture we have three calls emphasized by this figure.
A
1
51:911 . A call to the arm of Jehovah:' Awake, awake , put on strength, O
arm of the LORD .¨
* The same applies to other arguments: e.g. , Dr. Driver says (p.227) that certain words
'occurring in chapters 4066 . point to a later period of language than Isaiah`s age . A
remarkable instance is afforded by 65:25 . where , the common Hebrew word for
together , is replaced by , an expression modelled upon the Aramaic , and
occurring besides only in the latest books of the Old Testament.¨ But Professor Driver
does not mention the fact that the word occurs in the earlier books of the Bible: so early
indeed as Gen. 3:22 ; 49:16 . 1 Sam. 17:36 , and elsewhere. True, in these passages it is in
the construct state: but that makes no difference so far as the argument is concerned.
Moreover, as this very word occurs in chap. 1:28 , 31 , and 11:6 , 7 , as well as in
66:17 , it is an argument against Dr. Driver`s division of Isaiah into two halves.
marg. Margin.
B
1
1216 . Followed by comfort.
A
2
1720 . A call to Jerusalem:' Awake, awake , stand up, O Jerusalem.¨
B
2
2123 . Followed by comfort.
A
3
52:1 , 2 . A call to Zion:' Awake, awake , put on strength, O Zion.¨
B
3
312 . Followed by comfort.
Isa. 57:19 . 'I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him that is far off and to
him that is near,¨ etc.: i.e. , great peace, perfect peace as in 26:3 ( q.v. ).
Jer. 4:19 . ' My bowels, my bowels! ¨ to emphasize the great distress experienced.
Jer. 6:14 . 'They have healed also the hurt of the daughter
*
of my people slightly,
saying Peace, peace ; when there is no peace.¨ Here the figure contrasts with the fact that
there was no peace for Jerusalem the fact that her false prophets continually promised
plenty of peace, much peace.
Jer. 22:29 . 'O earth, earth, earth , hear the word of the LORD .¨
Ezek. 21:9–13 ( Heb. 14–18 ). ' A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished.¨
This is to call our attention to 'the sword of the LORD ,¨ viz. , Babylon, and to show
that His sword is a sword for war , and not a sword worn for honour . This is the key to
this difficult passage. That there are difficulties is seen the moment we observe the italics,
note the marginal alternatives, and consult the commentators!
Jehovah`s sword was not like the sword of His son Judah, not like his 'rod¨ or
'sceptre¨ (verse 10 ), which was merely for honour, and was no use against a tree. But
this sword (verse 10 ) 'contemneth the rod (or sceptre) of my son, as [ it despiseth ] every
tree (or wood).¨ Verse 12 should be, 'Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my
people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: my people shall be delivered to the
sword: smite therefore upon thy thigh¨ (which was the symbol of fear in man, as beating
the breast was in woman). Verse 13 . 'Because it was proved, and what? ( i.e., what will
happen? what will be the result? ) if the sword shall not despise the wood, saith the Lord!
It will not be, saith Adonai Jehovah!¨ ( i.e. , it will not despise it! it will destroy it!)
Thus we have the sword of Jehovah emphasized: and the structure of these verses
explains their meaning.
A 810 . The sword of Jehovah (Babylon). Its sharpness and brightness.
B 10 . Its contempt for the rod or sceptre of His son Judah.
* These words are supplied, apparently from chap. 8:11 , 21 .
A 11 , 12 . The sword of Jehovah. Its destroying power.
B 13 . Its contempt for the wooden rod or sceptre of Judah.
The point is that the sword of the Lord is a sword of war, not of honour; and its power
is so great that the sceptre of Judah (which was of wood ) will not withstand it.
Ezek. 21:27 . 'I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more until he
come whose right it is; and I will give it him¨: i.e. , I will completely and thoroughly
overturn it.
The threefold Epizeuxis emphasizes the completeness of the overthrow of the throne
of David; hence, by implication, the certainty of the promised fulfilment of the prophecy
that He who is David`s Son and David`s Lord, shall surely reign upon that same throne
according to Luke 1:32 , 33 , and many other Scriptures.
Ezek. 22:2 . ' Wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge? ¨: i.e. , Wilt thou really and truly
judge? See under Heterosis .
Ezek. 33:11 . ' Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways.¨
Ezek. 34:11 . 'Behold, I , even I , will both search my sheep and seek them out.¨
And verse 20 : 'Behold I , even, I , will judge between the fat cattle and between the
lean cattle.¨
Thus does Adonai Jehovah emphasize what He will do in consequence of the
unfaithfulness of the shepherds, who fed not His flock, but fed themselves. (See under
Ellipsis , page 114 ).
Ezek. 34:17 . 'I judge between cattle and cattle .¨ ( .)
For the emphasis in this passage, see the notes on it under the figure of Ellipsis ( page
40 ).
Dan. 5:11 . 'Whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king , I say , thy father
, made master of the magicians¨: i.e. , thy father the great and mighty king
Nebuchadnezzar.
Dan. 10:19 . ' Be strong , yea, be strong :¨ i.e. , be very strong.
Zeph. 1:14 . 'The great day of the LORD is near , is near , and hasteth greatly¨: i.e. , is
very near.
Matt. 5:37 . 'But let your communication ( R.V. , speech) be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay :
for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.¨
Here the figure emphasizes the fact, not that we are forbidden to say , 'Yea¨ or 'nay¨
twice; but that we are merely to say, 'Yes¨ or 'no,¨ and not to indulge in vehement
asseverations and oaths; 'for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.¨
Matt. 23:37 . 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem , thou that killest the prophets,¨ etc.:
emphasizing the pathetic appeal by the exceeding guilt of the city in killing the prophets
of Jehovah.
Luke 23:21 . ' Crucify him , crucify him,¨ emphasizing the vehemence of the cry,
and the determination of the priest-led people.
John 1:51 . ' Verily, verily ( ameen ameen ). Twenty-
five solemn sayings of the Lord Jesus are thus emphatically marked in John`s Gospel: viz.
, 1:51 ; 3:3 , 5 , 11 ; 5:19 , 24 , 25 ; 6:26 , 32 , 47 , 53 ; 8:34 , 51 , 58 ; 10:1 , 7 ; 12:24 ;
13:16 , 20 , 21 , 38 ; 14:12 ; 16:20 , 23 ; 21:18 . It might prove a useful study to trace the
sequence of truth in these successive statements.
Apart from the Repetition, which occurs only in the fourth Gospel, there is something
to be learnt from the number of times the word occurs.
*
Heb. 10:37 . 'Yet a little while,¨ Lit., how little, how little.
( eti gar mikron hoson hoson ).
Eph. 3:9 . Lit. 'And to enlighten all [ as to ] what [ is ] the dispensation of the Mystery
which has been hidden away, away , from the ages in [or by] God.¨ Showing the
completeness with which the secret was hidden in former times. Compare Rom. 16:25 ,
and Col. 1:26 .

Anaphora; or, Like Sentence-Beginnings
The Repetition of the same Word at the beginning of successive Sentences
A-naph´-o-ra ( ana ), again , and ( pher ), to bring
or carry . It means a carrying back, reference , or repeating over again .
This figure is also sometimes called EPANAPHORA : which is the same word with
( epi ), upon , prefixed. In Latin it is called RELATIO .
This figure is so-called because it is the repeating of the same word at the beginning
of successive clauses: thus adding weight and emphasis to statements and arguments by
calling special attention to them.
* See Number in Scripture , by the same author and publisher.
Anaphora differs from Epibole ( q.v. ). In the case of Epibole several words are
repeated, consisting of a sentence or phrase; whereas, in Anaphora only one word is thus
repeated.
Scripture abounds with this figure, which adds great importance to many of its
solemn statements. We give a few examples:
Deut. 28:3–6 .
' Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and
blessed shalt thou be in the field:
blessed shall be the fruit of the body,
and
*
the fruit of thy ground,
and the fruit of thy cattle,
the increase of thy kine,
and the flocks of thy sheep.
blessed shall be thy basket and thy store,
blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in,
blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.¨
See the same figure in verses 1619 with the word ' cursed ¨ repeated at the
beginning of successive sentences.
2 Sam. 23:5 . According to the Hebrew, each line begins with the word ( kee ), For
.
' For is not my house thus with God?
For He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered
in all things and sure,
For this is all my salvation, and all my desire.
For shall He not make it to prosper?¨
* See Polysyndeton .
These four lines are in the form of an introversion:
a Question.
b Answer and Reason.
b Answer and Reason.
a Question.
In a and a the question is concerning David`s house; while in b and b the subject is
Jehovah`s covenant. See under Correspondence .
Ps. 3:1 , 2 ( 2 , 3 ).
' Many are they that rise up against me,
Many there be which say of my soul,¨ etc.
Ps. 94:3 , 4 . ' How long ¨ In verse 4 it should be repeated by Ellipsis and put in italics
twice. In the A.V. it is thus put only once; in the R.V. not at all, the figure not being seen.
Ps. 115:12 , 13 .
' He will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel.
He will bless the house of Aaron.
He will bless them that fear the LORD .¨
This figure stands here in immediate contrast with the figure of Epistrophe ( q.v. ) in
verses 911 , where the same phrase ends successive clauses.
See also in the Songs of Degrees, Ps. 121:7 , 8 ; 122:6 , 7 ; 123:2 , 3 ; 124:1 , 2 , and 3
, 4 , 5 ; 126:2 ; 127:1 ; 128:5 , 6 ; 129:1 , 2 .
Ps. 148:1–4 . ' Praise ¨ is seven times repeated at the beginning of successive
sentences. So also in the whole of Ps. 150
Isa. 51:1 , 4 , 7 . Three times we have the Divine call ' Hearken unto me. ¨
Jer. 1:18 . 'Behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city,
and an iron pillar,
and brazen walls
against the whole land,
against the kings of Judah,
against the princes thereof,
against the priests thereof, and
against the people of the land.¨
The figure, here, emphasizes the fact that the prophet in being God`s spokesman was
recognised as the 'man of God,¨
*
but also (and therefore) as necessarily 'against¨ man.
For, inasmuch as man`s thoughts and man`s ways are always the opposite of God`s, he
who is for God cannot help being opposed to man.
Jer. 4:23–26 . We have ' I beheld ¨ four times repeated; to enchance the solemnity of
the desolation of Jehovah`s judgments.
Jer. 5:17 . ' They shall eat up ¨ is three times repeated; to emphasize the complete
devouring of the land by the enemy.
Jer. 50:35 , 36 . ' A sword ¨ is four times repeated; to emphasize the slaughter in the
destruction of Babylon.
Jer. 51:20–23 . Ten times we have the words ' with thee ¨ repeated to amplify the
statement in verse 20 . 'Thou art my battle ax,¨ spoken of Israel.
Hos. 3:4 . 'For the children of Israel shall abide many days
without a king,
and without a prince,
and without a sacrifice,
and without an image,
and without an ephod,
and without teraphim.¨
* See The Man of God , by the same author and publisher; price one penny.
Here there is something more than a simple Polysyndeton ( q.v. ), as another word is
joined with the conjunction.
The employment of this figure emphasizes the present desolation of Israel.
Micah 5:9–13 . ' I will cut off ¨ is repeated four times; to amplify and extend the
prophecy in verse 9 .
Micah 7:11 , 12 . Here we have ' In that day ¨ repeated to emphasize the time; and '
from ¨ to amplify the places whence they shall come.
Zeph. 1:2 , 3 . ' I will consume , ¨ three times repeated, indicates the solemnity of the
threatening and the certainty of its execution.
Matt. 5:3–11 . The word ' Blessed ¨ nine times repeated.
Matt. 5:22 .
' Whosoever is angry, etc.
Whosoever shall say, etc.¨
Matt. 11:7 , 8 , 9 . ' What went ye out … to see ?¨
This question is three times repeated; to emphasize and call attention to the fact that,
though they were all attracted to John, yet they rejected him, and his ministry, and his
testimony. See under Erotesis .
Matt. 11:18 , 19 . This is lost in the English Version: as in the Greek the verb ' came ¨
is put out of its natural place (by the figure of Hyperbaton , q.v. ), and is made to
commence the two successive sentences.
It is a very remarkable Anaphora .
Rom. 8:33 , 34 , 35 . Here we have the three questions, each beginning with ' Who
shall? ¨ (See page 87 ).
The first two questions should be answered like the third.
' Who shall lay anything to the charge of God`s elect?
Shall God that justifieth?
Who is he that condemneth?
Shall Christ that died, .?
Who shall separate us .?
Shall tribulation? etc.¨
1 Cor. 3:9 . This, too, is hidden in the translation. In the Greek the figure is clearly
seen.
' God’s fellow-labourers we are:
God’s husbandry,
God’s building, ye are.¨
Note, that the fellow-labourers are ourselves with one another; and not we who are
fellow-labourers with God. We are not to dishonour God by bringing Him down and
making Him one of ourselves. The popular explanation is only another instance of man`s
nature, which made him so easy a prey to Satan`s temptation-promise, 'Ye shall be as
gods¨ ( Gen. 3:5 ).
Herein lies the difference between the First Adam and the Last, between the First man
and the Second. The first man thought equality with God was a thing to be grasped at: but
the Second Man did not so consider it ( Phil. 2:6 , R.V. ). Equality with God was not a
thing to be obtained, but a thing to be either inherently possessed (as He possessed it as
the Son of God), or to be received as the gift of God (as He received it as the Son of
Man).
1 Cor. 6:11 . 'And such were some of you,
but ye are washed,
but ye are sanctified,
but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.¨
1 Cor. 6:12 .
' All things [or rather meats ] are lawful unto me, but
All things [to eat ] are not expedient:
All things [or meats ] are lawful for me [ to eat ], but I will not be brought under
the power of any.¨
Here the figure is combined with another called Mesarchia ( q.v. ).
1 Cor. 11:3 . 'But I would have you know that
the head of every man is Christ: and
the head of the woman is the man: and
the head of Christ is God.¨
We have here Polysyndeton ( q.v. ), as well as an irregular Climax ( q.v. ).
1 Cor. 12:8–11 . We have the repetition of the words, ' to another. ¨ In the Greek the
( allos ), another (of the same
( heteros ), another (of a different kind), twice , in
connection with 'faith¨ and 'kinds of tongues.¨
*
' To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom,
to another ( allos ) the word of knowledge by the same Spirit.
To another ( heteros ) faith by the same Spirit;
to another ( allos ) the gifts of healing by the same Spirit.
To another ( allos ) the working of miracles;
to another ( allos ) prophecy;
to another ( allos ) discerning of spirits;
to another ( heteros ) divers kinds of tongues;
to another ( allos ) the interpretation of tongues:
but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally AS
HE WILL ,¨ and not as we may will or 'claim.¨
1 Cor. 13:4 . In the first three verses we have the figure of Polysyndeton ( q.v. ), or
'many ands.¨ In verses 47 , we have a combination of two figures: Asyndeton ( q.v. ),
or 'no-ands¨; and Anaphora in the repetition of the word 'Charity¨ (verse 4 ).
In verse 7 , the Greek order of the words is: Charity
' all things beareth,
all things believeth,
* It is probable that Heteros marks a new class; while Allos refers to subdivisions of the
same class.
all things hopeth,
all things endureth.`
In verse 8 :
' Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;
whether there be tongues, they shall cease;
whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.¨
In verse 9 :
' In part we know, and
in part we prophesy.¨
In verse 11 . 'When I was a child,
as a child I spake,
as a child I understood,
as a child I thought.¨
2 Cor. 11:26 . Here we have the repetition of ' in perils ¨ eight times.
2 Cor. 7:11 . We have the repetition of the word ' yea ¨ to increase the effects and
results of true godly sorrow for sin in seven particulars. Referring to six different aspects
of their sorrow as manifested in three different directions.
The word rendered 'yea¨ really means but; and it may be preserved by supplying the
Ellipsis: what carefulness (or rather earnestness) it wrought in you, but not earnestness
merelythat is saying too little
in respect of themselves.
but self-defence,
but indignation,
in respect of Paul.
but fear,
but vehement desire,
in respect of him who had done the wrong.
but zeal,
but revenge,
The first ' but ¨ combines the additional figure of Epitasis ( q.v. ), which is here an
emphatic addition to a statement or argument of six particulars.
Eph. 6:12 . 'For we wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but
against principalities,
against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places.¨
This is to emphasize the fact that our conflict is spiritual , and that Satan`s sphere of
operations is not immorality or crime, but religion. See all the references to him in
Scripture, and note how opposed they are to popular Satan-myth of the world and of
Christendom.
Phil. 3:2 . Note the repetition of the word ' beware. ¨
Phil. 4:2 . ' I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche.¨
Phil. 4:8 . We have here the repetition of the word ' whatsoever things ¨ with which
the figure of Asyndeton ( q.v. ) is combined, in order to emphasize the important
conclusion ' Think on these things :¨ and these things, in eight nouns are arranged in
the figure of Chiasmus ( q.v. ).
1 John 1:1–3 .
' That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes,
which we have looked upon .
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you.¨
ho ), which , emphasizes with great
solemnity the subject of the epistle which is opened thus in so stately a manner.
Jas. 5:7 , 8 . Three times we have ' Be patient ¨ with reference to the coming of the
Lord.
Jas. 5:13 , 14 . Twice we have the question ' Is any? ¨
' Is any among you afflicted?
Let him pray.
Is any merry?
Let him sing psalms.
Is any sick among you?
Let him call,¨ etc.
Here are contrasted prayer and praise; and praying with singing. Teaching us that
prayer is not to be sung.
*
1 John 3:5 , 8 . ' He was manifested to take away our sins; . the Son of God was
manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil.¨
Here the two great purposes of Christ`s manifestation are declared: the one present,
and the other future; the one in grace now, and the other in power hereafter; the one in
sufferings, and the other in glory.
Other examples of Anaphora may be seen in Gal. 1:8 , 9 . Rev. 7:58 (with
Epistrophe ), and elsewhere: for these examples are given only as specimens.

Epanalepsis; or, Resumption
The repetition of the same word after a break, or parenthesis
Ep´-an-a-lep´-sis ( epi ), upon ( ana ), again , and
( leepsis ), a taking; and means a taking up upon again .
In Latin it is called RESUMPTIO ( Re-sump´-tio ).
* See Intoned Prayers and Musical Services , by the same author and publisher.
In this figure the word is resumed , rather than repeated, from the beginning of
another sentence: and when the word is resumed after a parenthesis it is called
APOSTASIS , and the parenthesis is closed by the apostasis .
A-pos´-ta-sis , which means a standing away or off
from, distance, interval; the repeated word which resumes the statement or argument,
standing away at a distance from the first word.
Moreover, the word so taken up and resumed may not be necessarily from the
beginning of the sentence, but it may be taken up again from the middle or from any
other part, as in this sentence:
'The persecutions undergone by the Apostles were a trial to their faith, and a confirmation to ours; a trial to them,¨
etc.
It differs from Anaphora ( q.v. ) in that the repeated words are not immediately
successive, but are separated by a break or parenthesis: the repetition being a resumption
of what the writer or speaker had already before begun to say.
Rom. 3:25 , 26 . 'Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his
blood, to declare [ his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God; to declare , I say ] , at this time his righteousness:¨ etc.
1 Cor. 4:11 , 13 , where the words in verse 11 , ' unto this present hour , ¨ are taken up
again at the end of verse 13 , ' unto thid day. ¨
1 Cor. 10:25 , 29 . Here, after a parenthesis (verses 2628 ) the word ' conscience ¨ is
repeated from the end of verse 25 , and the argument is resumed in verse 29 .
Eph. 3:1 , 14 . ' For this cause I , Paul, [ the prisoner of Jesus Christ.. (then after a
parenthesis of thirteen verses he resumes in verse 14 ), For this cause] I bow my knees,¨
etc.
Phil. 1:22 , 24 . In verse 20 , the apostle had been speaking of glorifying God 'by life,
or by death.¨ For, if he lived, it would be 'Christ,¨ and if he died, it would be 'gain¨ to
him, and would release him and give him rest from all his labours. The real conclusion is
that if he continued to abide in the flesh it would be better for them. But this conclusion is
interrupted by the mention, parenthetically, of a third thing, which made him unable to
say which of the two (living or dying) he would really prefer, because this third thing was
so much better than either of the other two; for it wasthe return of Christ. Then, having
mentioned this, he takes up the statement again, repeating the beginning of verse 22 ('in
the flesh¨) and continuing it in verse 24 .
Verse 23 :'But if I live in the flesh, [ this is the fruit of my labour (yet what I shall
choose I wot not, for I am being pressed
*
out of
f
these two, having a strong desire unto
* , I am being pressed.
the return,
|
and to be with Christ, which is a far, far better thing): but to remain in the
flesh] is more needful for you¨ [ i.e. , than dyingnot better than Christ`s return].
He had told the Thessalonian saints that 'we which are alive and remain shall not
precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a
shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ
shall first rise. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and SO ( , hout , thus, in this manner ) shall
we ever be with the Lord.¨ There, is therefore, no other way of being with the Lord.¨ The
Spirit of God would not have written one thing to the Thessalonians and a different thing
to the Philippians.

Polysyndeton; or, Many-ands
The repetition of the word “and” at the beginning of successive clauses
Pol´-y-syn´-de-ton . Greek, , from ( pol s ), many , and (
syndeton ), bound together; hence, in grammar, it means a conjunction (from ( syn )
and ( dein ), to bind ). The word, therefore, means much bound together or many
conjunctions .
It is called also POLYSYNTHETON , from ( titheemi ), to put or place .
Hence many puttings: i.e. , of the same wordin this case of the word 'and.¨
The English name for the Figure will, therefore, be MANY-ANDS .
Polysyndeton is merely one special form of Anaphora ( q.v. ): i.e. , it is a repetition of
the same word at the beginning of successive sentences: but this is always one special
word 'and.¨
To understand the full significance and use of Polysyndeton , the student must
consider along with it the opposite Figure A-syndeton (the same word syndeton with 'a¨
prefixed, meaning no , instead of 'poly,¨ meaning many ). See A-syn´-de-ton, i.e. , NO-
ANDS ( page 137 ).
The two Figures form a pair, and should be studied together.
occurs 857 times, and is never translated 'betwixt¨ anywhere else, But it is 165
times rendered 'out of.¨
| This is not the infinitive mood of the verb depart, but three distinct words. ( eis ),
unto , to ) the ( analusai ), return . This verb occurs in N.T. only in
Luke 12:36 , 'when he shall return from the wedding.¨ It does mean, to depart, but from
thence to here, not from hence to there. See Tobit. 2:1 . Judith 13:1 . 1 Esd. 3:3 . Wisd.
2:1 ; 5:12 . Ecclus. 3:15 . 2 Mac. 8:25 ; 9:1 ; 12:7 ; 15:28 . Josephus Ant. vi., 4, 1 .
The Laws of Grammar decide for us how the conjunction 'and¨ should be used. If we
are enumerating a number of things, we (by usage) place the conjunction immediately
before the last. This is the cold law, which leaves what we say without any special
emphasis. But this law may be legitimately broken in two different ways for the sake of
emphasis. In order to attract the attention of the hearer or reader, we may either use NO
ANDS , or we may use MANY ANDS . Man may use these figures, however, without
sufficient reason, and unwisely: but the Holy Spirit ever uses words in all perfection, and
it behoves us carefully to note whatever He thus calls our attention to.
When He uses 'No-ands,¨ He does not ask us to stop and consider the various
particulars which are enumerated, but to hasten on to some grand climax. In this case that
climax which we read at the end, is the all-important matter on which the greatest
emphasis is to be placed.
When He uses 'many-ands,¨ there is never any climax at the end. Instead of hurrying
us on, breathlessly, to reach the important conclusion; we are asked to stop at each point,
to Weigh each matter that is presented to us, and to consider each particular that is thus
added and emphasized.
One illustration of each will make this quite clear. We have an example of both in one
chapter ( Luke 14 ), and, strange to say, in connection with precisely the same four
words.
In verse 13 , we have Asyndeton (no-ands): and in verse 21 , Polysyndeton (many-
ands).
In the former case ( Asyndeton ), we are not asked to consider the various classes of
persons mentioned, but we are hastened on to the important and weighty conclusion:
Verse 13 , 14 . 'When thou makest a feast, call the poor,
the maimed,
the lame,
the blind:
and thou shalt be blessed. ¨
In other words, we are taught that, though we are not obliged to make a feast at all,
yet, even if we do, we can call whom we please: but, if we call such persons as are here
described, there is a great blessing attached: hence, we are hurried over the enumeration
of these classes to be told of this blessing. And, even then, it really does not matter much
whether they are actually blind or lame, etc. The point is they must not be able to return
it.
On the other hand, the Master`s servant is commanded to 'bring in¨ such persons to
the Lord`s feast, as a matter of simple obedience: and when he has done this, he has done
no more than his duty, and is at the best, but an 'unprofitable servant.¨ Hence, by the use
of this figure of Polysyndeton in verse 21 , we are not hurried on to any climax at the end,
but we are detained at each step, and are thus asked to consider carefully what is taught
Us by the mention of each of these various classes:
'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city,
and bring in hither the poor ( i.e. , those whom no one would think of inviting, but who
would welcome the invitation ( 15:1 . Matt. 20:31 ):'the poor¨ who could not
afford to buy 'a piece of ground¨ (verse 18 ), or 'five yoke of oxen¨ (verse 19 ).
and the maimed ( i.e. , those who would be most unlikely to be able to say, 'I have
married a wife¨ (verse 20 ),
and the halt ( , as in verse 13 , where it is translated 'lame¨: i.e. , those who
could not 'go¨ to use the oxen, or to 'prove them,¨ at the plough, verse 19 ),
and the blind ( i.e. , those who could not say, 'I must needs go and see¨ the piece of land
which I have bought, verse 18 ).
Here, by this figure, instead of being hurried forward to a weighty conclusion we are
led gently backward by each 'and¨ to think of these four classes, and to contrast them
with those whom the Lord had just described in the preceding parable as making excuses.
These two illustrations will prepare us for the consideration of the two figures
separately, and enable us to understand them.
We consider here only the illustrations of Polysyndeton . The examples of Asyndeton
will be found under that figure ( pages 137148 ), which being Elliptical, i.e. ,
characterised by the omission of the word 'and¨ has been placed under the First Division,
Figures of Omission.
Gen. 8:22 . Here the completeness of the covenant and the fulness of the blessing, and
the certainty of the Divine promise, is set forth in a double four-fold description:
'While the earth remaineth,
seedtime and harvest,
and cold and heat,
and summer and winter,
and day and night, shall not cease.¨
Gen. 19:12 . 'And the men said unto Lot
Hast thou here any beside?
son-in-law,
and thy sons,
and thy daughters,
and whatsoever thou hast in the city, and bring them out of this place.¨ See also verses
16 , 19 ; and verse 17 for Asyndeton .
Gen. 22:9 , 11 . The solemnity and deliberation of Abraham`s actions is emphasised,
and each is marked off from the other by this figure:
and they came to the place which God had told him of;
and Abraham built an altar there,
and laid the wood in order,
and bound Isaac his son,
and laid him on the altar upon the wood:
and Abraham stretched forth his hand:
and took the knife to slay his son:
and the angel of the LORD ,¨ etc.
Gen. 25:34 . 'Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles;
and he did eat
and drink,
and rose up,
and went his way:
And Esau despised his birthright.¨
Here our attention is drawn to the deliberateness of Esau`s action. There is no haste in
the words, as there was none in Esau`s deed. Each part of it is minutely pointed out, and
dwelt upon, as showing that Esau did not fall under some sudden temptation, but that he
deliberately and wilfully 'despised his birthright.¨ (See Heb. 12:16 , 17 .)
Gen. 43:8 . This is shown more clearly in the Hebrew; it is partly hidden in the A.V. ,
to suit the English idiom. Here, the Polysyndeton is used to heighten the effect of Judah`s
appeal to his father to let them all depart and procure the food they so greatly needed. The
Hebrew reads:
' And Judah said unto Israel, his father, Send the lad with me,
and we will get up,
and we will go,
and we shall live,
and so we shall not die;
also we,
also thou,
also our households.¨
Ex. 1:7 . Here the figure is employed in order to impress us with the marvellous
increase of Israel by the Divine blessing (See Ps. 105:24 ; 107:33 ).
' and the children of Israel were fruitful,
and increased abundantly,
and multiplied,
and waxed exceeding great,
and the land was filled with them.¨
Josh. 7:11 . Jehovah shows to Joshua (and to us) the greatness of Achan`s sin, by
bringing out emphatically all the acts which formed part of it. The Hebrew reads:
'Israel hath sinned,
and they have also transgressed my covenant, which I commanded them;
and ( ), vegam , they have also taken of the accursed thing,
and have also stolen,
and have dissembled also,
and they have also put it among their own stuff.¨
Five times we have ( vegam ), and also , in this verse.
Josh. 7:24 . Here, to show the awful solemnity of the judgment executed upon Achan,
and the magnitude of his sin, twelve times we have the conjunction, eleven of the times
with ( ).
' And Joshua,
and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah,
and the silver,
and the garment,
and the wedge of gold,
and his sons,
and his daughters,
and his oxen,
and his asses,
and his sheep,
and his tent,
and all that he had:
and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.¨
1 Sam. 17:34–36 . Here David enhances the importance of what he tells King Saul, by
bringing out graphically each detail of that which makes him a type of the Good
Shepherd:
'And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father`s sheep
and there came a lion
and a bear,
and took a lamb out of the flock:
and I went out after him
and smote him,
and delivered it out of his mouth:
and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard,
and smote him,
and slew him. Thy servant slew
both ( ) the lion,
and ( ) the bear.
and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, etc.¨
2 Kings 2:12 , 14 . 'And he took hold of his own clothes,
and rent them in two pieces:
and he took up (he took up also) the mantle of Elijah that fell from him,
and went back,
and stood by the bank of Jordan;
and he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him,
and smote the waters,
and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah?
and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither,
and Elisha went over.¨
All this to show us the importance, not of any great climax, but of each part of that
wondrous miracle.
2 Kings 5:26 . In the words of Elisha to Gehazi on his return from Naaman, he brings
out by the use of this figure all that was in Gehazi`s heart; showing that he knew how
Gehazi had already planned and arranged how he should spend and lay out the money
which he had asked of Naaman.
' Is it a time to receive money,
and to receive garments,
and oliveyards,
and vineyards,
and sheep,
and oxen,
and menservants,
and maidservants?¨
1 Chron. 29:11–13 . Here the greatness and the goodness of Jehovah is set forth in
David’s Thanksgiving . The whole structure
*
of this thanksgiving is as follows:
Praise.
A a 10 . David blessing Jehovah
b 10 . Jehovah`s eternity.
B 11 . Jehovah`s greatness 'above all.¨
B 12 . Jehovah`s goodness 'unto all.¨
A a 13 . David blessing Jehovah,
b 14 , 15 . David`s mortality.
Prayer.
C 16 . The House and its provision,
D 17 . 'I give¨ 'mine heart.¨ (Time past and present).
D 1719 . Prepare their heart to give. (Time to come).
C 19 . The house and its provision.
The figure occurs in B and B:
* For these structures see under Correspondence below.
'Thine, O LORD , is the greatness ( Ps. 145:3 ),
and the power (verse 12 and Ps. 21:14 ),
and the glory ( beauty , verse 13 . Ps. 96:6 ),
and the victory ( lustre , 1 Sam 15:29 ),
and the majesty ( Ps. 21:6 ); for all that is in the heaven
and in the earth ( is thine ):
*
Thine is the Kingdom, O LORD ,
and thou art exalted as head above all,
(The figure is lost by saying 'both riches and honour.)
and the riches
and the honour
come of thee,
and thou reignest over all;
and in thine hand is power
and might;
and in thine hand it is to make great,
and to give strength unto all:
and now, our God, (not 'Now therefore¨) we thank thee,
and praise thy glorious name!¨
Ps. 107:35–37 . Here, to enhance the blessings which Jehovah bestows upon His
people they are set forth with such distinctness that we are asked to dwell upon each one
that goes to make up the whole:
'He turneth the wilderness into a standing water,
* Or, omitting the italics 'because of all in the heavens and in the earth.¨
and dry ground into watersprings,
and there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
and sow the fields,
and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.¨
Isa. 2:11–19 . Here the figure is employed to set forth the completeness of the manner
in which Jehovah will shake terribly the earth¨ ( 19 , 21 ). There is another figure
employed (see under Synonymia ): and this, with the structure, shows us the importance
and solemnity of the whole passage. It commences with chap. 2 , and ends with chap. 4 .
Thus:
A 2:15 . Promise.
B 2:622 . Threatening of judgment (general).
B 34:1 . Threatening of punishment (particular).
A 4:26 . Promise.
Then these members may be expanded thus:
A. The Promise , 2:15 .
A C 2:1 , 2 . Zion, its exaltation. All people flowing unto it.
D 3 . What they say: 'Come ye, . . we will walk, etc.¨
C 3 , 4 . Zion, its rule. The word going out from it.
D 5 . What the people say: 'Come ye, . . let us walk, etc.¨
Then the second member B, with which we have to do (the figure o Polysyndeton
marking it and stamping it as a, whole), may be expanded, thus:
B. Threatening of judgment ( general ), 2:622 . (With special reference to men.)
*
*
In B ( 34:1 ) the reference is specially to women.
In A ( 4:26 ) the reference is:
a 2 . General.
E F 6 . Jehovah ceasing from His People.
G 69 . Reason. Because they exalt themselves before God, and humble
themselves before their idols.
G 1021 . Judgment. The People humbled, and Jehovah alone exalted.
Idols abolished.
F 22 . 'Cease ye from man,¨ &c.
Once more, the member G may be expanded, thus:
G. The Judgment ( 2:1021 ).
G H
1
a 10 . Concealment. 'Go to the rock,¨ etc.
b 10 . Reason: 'For fear of the LORD , ¨ etc.
by Jehovah.
J c 11 . Man abased. Jehovah exalted
d 1216 . High things brought low
c 17 . Man abased. Jehovah exalted
d 18 . Idols utterly abolished
H
2
a 19 . Concealment. 'They shall go to the rocks,¨ etc.
b 19 . Reason: 'For fear of the LORD , ¨ etc.
J 20 . Idols cast away by man.
H
3
21 . Concealment, 'to go into the clefts of the rocks.¨
21 . Reason: 'For fear of the LORD , ¨ etc.
We may note in passing that in J we have Jehovah and Idols: while in J we have Man
and his Idols.
b 3 . To men.
b 4 . To women.
a 6 . General.
Now, we are prepared to see how the judgment executed by Jehovah in J (verses 11
18 ) is further emphasized by the figure of Polysyndeton; as it is still further marked and
emphasized by the figure of Synonymia ( q.v. ):
MAN
J c 11 . The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,
and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
Jehovah`s judgment on GOD`S WORKS ( seven members ).
d 1216 . For the day of the LORD
*
of hosts shall be upon every one [or
thing ] that is proud and lofty,
and upon every one [ thing ] that is lifted up;
and he shall be brought low:
and upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up,
and upon all the oaks of Bashan,
and upon all the high mountains,
and upon all the hills that are lifted up,
Jehovah`s judgment on MAN`S WORKS ( four ).
and upon every high tower,
and upon every fenced wall,
and upon all the ships of Tarshish,
and upon all pleasant pictures.
MAN.
c 17 . And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down,
and the haughtiness of men shall be made low;
and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.
* This is the first mention of 'the Day of the Lord.¨ For the significance of this, see
Number in Scripture by the same author and publisher.
Jehovah`s judgment on man`s works.
d 18 . And the Idols, he shall utterly abolish.
Isa. 3:17–4:1 . Here, we have, in these few verses, the 'many ands¨ marking the
minuteness of the Lord`s judgment on the daughters of Zion.
These verses form one member ( B ) of the larger structure (see above), which may be
expanded, as follows:
B . 34:1 . Threatening of judgment ( Particular ).
B e 3:17 . Threatening. What Jehovah will 'take away¨ from Jerusalem and
from Judah.
f 89 . Sin. Tongue, doings, countenance.
e 911 . Threatening. 'Woe, woe.¨
f 12 . Sin. Weak and oppressive rulers (4, 4).
1315 . Threatening. Jehovah will judge and rule.
16 . Sin. Feminine haughtiness.
174:1 . Threatening. What Jehovah will 'take away¨ from the daughters of
Zion.
Here, in the last member ( 3:174:1 ), we have twenty-six 'ands,¨ which the reader
can notice for himself.
Isa. 37:37 . Here, to enhance the overthrow of Sennacherib`s army, and to show how
completely Jerusalem was delivered from the siege which he made against it, we read:
'So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed,
and went,
and returned,
and dwelt at Ninevah.¨
Jer. 31:28 . Here the figure emphasises both the 'scattering¨ and the 'gathering¨ of
Israel:
' And it shall come to pass, that, like as I have watched over them to pluck up,
and to break down,
and to throw down,
and to destroy,
and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build
and to plant, saith the LORD .¨
Hag. 1:11 . To enhance the description of the troubles which had fallen upon Israel, a
nine-fold 'and¨ is employed (nine being the number of judgment )
*
:
' And I called for a drought upon the land,
and upon the mountains,
and upon the corn,
and upon the new wine,
and upon the oil,
and upon that which the ground bringeth forth,
and upon men,
and upon cattle,
and upon all the labour of the hands.¨
Matt. 7:25 . Here the perfect security of the 'wise man,¨ who hears the sayings of
Jesus, and is likened unto a man who built his house upon a rock, is emphasized by a
five-fold ' and ¨ (five being the number of grace ).
' And the rain descended (on the roof),
and the floods came (at the foundations),
and the winds blew (at the sides),
and beat upon that house:
and it fell not.¨
* See Number in Scripture , by the same author and publisher.
While, on the other hand, in verse 27 , the insecurity of the 'foolish man,¨ who hears,
but does not, the sayings of Jesus, is set forth by a six-fold 'and¨ (six being the number of
man and of human independence and imperfection:
' And the rain descended,
and the floods came,
and the winds blew,
and beat upon that house;
and it fell:
and great was the fall of it.¨
Matt. 24:29–31 . Here, to emphasize the wondrous events of the day of the Lord, and
the order of them, the figure is used.
'Immediately after the tribulation of those days
The sun shall be darkened,
and the moon shall not give her light,
and the stars shall fall from heaven,
and the powers
*
of the heavens shall be shaken,
and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man
f
in heaven:
and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,
and they shall see the Son of Man
f
coming in the clouds of heaven with power and
|
great glory.
and he shall send his angels with a trumpet and
|
a great sound ( marg. ),
and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds,
*
from one end of heaven to
the other.¨
* See under Catachreesis .
f See under Idiom and Synecdoche .
| See under Hendiadys .
* See under Metonomy (of the adjunct).
This important passage describes the events which shall succeed 'immediately after¨
the great tribulation (which was the subject of Old Testament prophecy. See Ps. 9:9 ; 10:1
. Jer. 30:7 . Joel 2:11 , 31 . Amos 5:18 . Zeph. 1:14 , etc. Rev. 6:17 ): so that there is,
therefore, no interval for a millennium of peace and blessedness before the coming of the
Lord.
This is the coming of the Lord with His saints (the Church), not His coming for what
will already have previously taken place before the Great Tribulation begins. The Second
coming corresponds with the First Coming (so-called) in that the first part of it answers to
His 'coming forth¨ at Bethlehem ( Micah 5 ii.), and the second part answers to the
'cometh unto¨ at Jerusalem ( Zech. 9:9 ), the latter being referred to in 2 Thess. 2:2 , R.V.
, and the former revealed in 1 Thess. 4:16 , 17 .
Consequently his title, 'The Son of Man,¨ agrees with the scope of the passage;
which has to do with dominion on the earth. While the elect can only be the elect of Israel
(see Deut. 30:4 (lxx.) Zech. 2:6 , etc.).
Mark 3:31–35 . Here each part of the instructive scene is emphasized to attract our
attention:
'There came then his brethren,
and his mother,
and standing without, sent unto him, calling him:
and the multitude sat about him,
and they said unto him, Behold thy mother
and thy brethren without seek for thee:
and he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
and he looked round about on them which sat about him,
and said, Behold my mother,
and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother,
and my sister,
and mother.¨
The scene which is thus emphasized is connected with verse 21 as appears from the
structure
f
of this whole passage.
Mark 3:2135 .
A a 21 . Jesus`s kindred (margin),
b 21 . Their interference with him.
c 21 . Their disparagement of him.
B d 22 . The Scribes` first charge: 'He hath a devil.¨
e 22 . The Scribes` second charge: 'By the prince of the
devil scasteth he out devils.¨
B e 2327 . His answer to the second charge.
d 28 , 29 . His denunciation of the first charge.
A a 31 . Jesus`s kindred,
b 31 , 32 . Their interference with Him,
c 3335 . His disparagement of them.
From this structure we learn that (1) the object of the visit, is explained in verses 21
31 , and that (2) the reference of verse 28 is to the first charge of the Scribesexplaining
what is called 'the unpardonable sin¨: and (3) that the 'kindred¨ of verse 31 included his
mother in the design and conspiracy.
Luke 1:31 , 32 . Here the birth of the Lord Jesus is presented as it is in Isa. 9:6 , 7 ,
with the 'sufferings¨ overleaped, and the present season of His rejection not noticed. Our
attention is called to all the wondrous details and separate parts of His glory, which,
though thus linked together and connected with His birth, are not immediately
consecutive.
' And , behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name JESUS . He shall be great,
and shall be called the Son of the Highest:
f For what is meant by Structure see below under Correspondence .
and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever;
and of his kingdom there shall be no end.¨
It is Matt. 1:21 , 23 , which refers to Isa. 7 , and thus connects the King with the
'sufferings¨: while it is Luke, which refers to Isa. 9 , and thus connects 'the Man¨ with
the glory that shall follow.
f
Luke 7:11–18 . Here, there is no climax, but we are asked to stop and dwell upon each
additional circumstance, and see why it is mentioned, and what is its peculiar lesson for
us:
And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain:
and many of his disciples went with him,
and much people. Now, when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a
dead man carried out, the only son of his mother,
and she was a widow:
and much people of the city was with her:
and when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her,
and said unto her, Weep not.
and he came
and touched the bier:
and they that bare him stood still.
and he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
and he that was dead sat up,
and began to speak;
and he delivered him to his mother;
and there came a fear on all:
f See below under Rev. 12
and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us;
and , That God hath visited his people,
and this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judæa,
and throughout all the region round about;
and the disciples of John showed him of all these things.¨
Here in these eight verses we have no less than twenty 'ands,¨ each introducing a fact
and a statement for our earnest consideration; each fraught with truth and teaching. The
last, for example, is the reason why John sent his disciples to Jesus. This reason is not
given in Matt. 11:2 : which is thus explained. John was languishing in prison; and, when
he heard that Jesus was raising the dead, he naturally wondered, if Jesus were 'He that
should come,¨ why he should be suffering in prison.
See also Mark 3:16 , the miracle of the man with the withered hand.
Luke 7:38 . Here the woman`s devotion to the Lord is set forth in a gracious five-fold
enumeration of the parts of which it was made up:
' And stood at his feet behind him weeping,
and began to wash his feet with tears,
and did wipe them with the hairs of her head,
and kissed his feet,
and anointed them with the ointment.¨
Five 'ands¨ in one verse!
Luke 10:27 . Here a five-fold description is given in order to set forth that love which
is 'the fulfilling of the Law¨:
'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul,
and with all thy strength,
and with all thy mind:
and thy neighbour as thyself.¨
It is sometimes said that we are never commanded to do that which is impossible. But
the truth is, the Law is given, and the perfection of this command is thus emphasized, in
order to reveal and bring to light our own impotence , that we may thankfully cast
ourselves on God`s omnipotence in that Saviour whom He has provided and anointed.
Luke 12:45 , 46 . Here, the sin of the wicked servant, who said, 'My lord delayeth his
coming,¨ is set forth in a fourfold description:
' And shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens,
and to eat
and drink,
and to be drunken.¨
Likewise his punishment is described in a fourfold manner:
'The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him ,
and at an hour when he is not aware,
and will cut him in sunder,
and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.¨
What a solemn fact it is that those who put off the hope of the Lord`s Coming till
after the Tribulation are the ones who 'smite¨ their fellow-servants; and this merely
because they hope to be taken away before it comes!
Luke 15:20 . Here, five particulars give the fulness of Divine grace in receiving the
lost sinner:
'When he was yet a great way off,
his father saw him (eyes),
and had compassion (heart),
and ran (feet),
and fell on his neck (arms),
and kissed him¨ (lips).
There is no climax; but we are asked to dwell separately on these five aspects of
grace, five (4 + 1) being the number which is symbolical of grace.
*
Luke 15:22 , 23 . Here, we have an eight-fold enumeration of the gifts: showing the
completeness of the blessings poured upon accepted one:
'The father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe (but do more than that);
and put it on him;
and put a ring on his hand,
and shoes on his feet:
and bring hither the fatted calf,
and kill it;
and let us eat
and be merry.¨
John 10:27 , 28 . The riches of the grace bestowed upon the Lord`s people are thus
enumerated and emphasized by the five-fold Polysyndeton:
'My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them,
and they follow me;
and I give unto them eternal life;
and they shall never
*
perish,
and not anyone shall pluck them out of my hand¨ (so Greek).
Acts. 1:8 . 'But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me
both in Jerusalem,
* See Number in Scripture , by the same author and publisher.
* See under Repeated Negation .
and in all Judea,
and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth.¨
Thus is emphasized for us the fact that there is one message, for all places and for all
times. 'Preach the Gospel to every creature.¨ Not 'adapt the Gospel to every century.¨
There are, here, three concentric circles. (1) The innermost 'Jerusalem and in all
Judea,¨ the place of Religiousness where they professed to worship God and to read His
word. (2) 'And in Samaria¨ which was the place of corrupt religion, for it is written of
Samaria, 'they feared the LORD , and served their own gods¨ ( 2 Kings 17:33 ). (3) 'And
unto the uttermost part of the earth,¨ which was the place of no religion .
The witness for each was to be, not concerning Doctrines or Sacraments, or Rites and
Ceremonies; but, concerning a PERSON ! 'Ye shall be witnesses unto ME ¨a
crucified, risen, and coming Saviour. This is to be the witness: and this is the Gospel.
Rom. 8:29 , 30 . Here there is no climax or conclusion, but each great fact is to be
weighed and duly considered. We emend the A.V. only by putting the word 'also¨ in the
correct place
*
'For whom he did foreknow, he did predestinate also . .
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he called also:
and whom he called, them he justified also:
and whom he justified, them he glorified also.¨
Rom 9:4 . Here the figure is used to impress us with the wonderful possessions and
privileges of Israel,
'Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption ( sonship , Deut. 4:7
, 33 , 34 ),
and the glory ( 1 Sam. 4:21 ),
and the covenants (which precede the Law, Gal. 3:17 ),
and the giving of the Law,
* See a pamphlet, entitled, Also: a Bible-Study on the use of the Word , by the same
author and publisher.
and , hee latreia , the [tabernacle] worship ),
and the promises.¨
1 Cor. 1:30 . 'But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness,
and sanctification,
and redemption.¨
The R.V. rendering does not alter the fact that these four wondrous things are
distinctly separated, so that we are to study them, each one by itself, and to learn the
weighty lessons and the equal importance of each. It is Christ Jesus who is our
righteousness; and He is equally our sanctification, and in Him we are perfect and
complete as to our standing before God; and in Him we now wait for Resurrection: i.e. ,
the redemption of our bodies from the power of the grave ( Rom. 8:23 . Eph. 4:30 ).
Eph. 4:31 . 'Let all bitterness ( , pikria , the opposite of , chreestoi ,
verse 32 , kind ).
and wrath ( , thumos , the opposite of , eusplangchnoi tender-
hearted ),
and , orgee , the opposite of , charizomenoi , forgiving ),
and clamour,
and evil-speaking be put away from you with all malice.¨
Here there is no climax; but in the next verse we have the opposite figure of
Asyndeton , in which there are no 'ands,¨ because there is a weighty conclusion at the
end, to which we are hastened on.
*
'Be ye kind ( , chreestoi , the opposite of , pikria bitterness , verse 31
),
tender-hearted ( , eusplangchnoi , the opposite of , thumos , wrath
),
forgiving one another ( , charizomenoi , orgee ,
anger ),
* There is an 'and¨ here in the A.V. , but the Greek is ( de ), but . This is omitted by
Lachmann, and put in the margin by Tregelles, Westcott and Hort.
even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. ¨
f
Phil. 3:3 . 'For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit,
and rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and have no confidence in the flesh.¨
Thus the Spirit emphasises these three great fundamental principles of Christianity,
and asks us to dwell upon each, noting the necessity of making all our worship wholly
spiritual ( John 4:23 , 24 ); making the Lord Jesus the source of all our joy; and
renouncing all attempts to work out a righteousness of our own.
1 Thess. 2:11 . 'Ye know how we exhorted
and comforted
and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children.¨ (See under Ellipsis, page 89
).
1 Tim. 1:5 . Here, the figure points us to the true genealogy of charity, or love.
'Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart,
and of a good conscience,
and of faith unfeigned.¨
If the faith be not right and unfeigned, then the 'conscience¨ cannot be 'good.¨
Conscience is the result of faith. It will condemn us in the doing of what we believe to be
wrong. It will approve the doing of what we believe to be right. Hence, the importance of
a true 'faith.¨
If the conscience be not 'good,¨ the heart cannot be pure; and if the heart be not pure,
there can be no true, divine love.
2 Tim. 4:17 , 18 . Contrast this passage with the example of Asyndeton in 2 Tim 3:10 ,
11 . In that passage we are not detained over the manner of the Lord`s deliverance, but
pointed to the great fact that He did deliver out of all. But here we have no such climax,
and are asked to stop and consider each part of the wondrous deliverance.
'Notwithstanding, the Lord stood with me,
and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known,
( humin ), us , which is put in the margin by Tr. WH. and R.V.
and that all the Gentiles might hear:
and I was delivered
*
out of the mouth of the lion.
and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work,
and will preserve me
f
unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.¨
Heb. 13:8 . 'Jesus Christ the same yesterday,
and to-day,
and for ever.¨
Jas. 1:24 . Here the repeated 'and¨ greatly emphasises what Bengel calls the
'hastiness joined with levity¨ of the natural man.
'For he beholdeth himself,
and goeth his way,
and straightway forgeteth what manner of man he was.¨
Jas. 4:13 . The Polysyndeton here, Bengel says, expresses the caprice of a mind secure
and indifferentthe will of a mind at ease.
'Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city,
and continue there a year,
and buy
and sell,
and get gain.¨
2 Pet. 1:5–7 . Here the sevenfold 'and¨ points to all that is included in and follows the
greatest gift of God (verse 3 ). Faith itself is God`s gift ( Eph. 2:8 ), and therefore it is not
added to anything. It is the 'precious faith¨ which is 'obtained¨ through the righteousness
of God (verse 1 ).
* See under the figures of Ellipsis and Polyptoton .
f See under the figure of Paregmenon .
' And besides this ( , kai auto touto , and for this very reason: i.e. ,
because we have 'precious faith¨ (verse 1 ), and are 'partakers of the Divine nature¨
(verse 4 ), giving all diligence (see verse 15 and 3:14 ), add to your faith, virtue (
, teen areteen , courage ) ;
and to virtue, knowledge;
and , engkrateia , self-control , which is the fruit
of knowledge. It means having self well reined in, the government of all the passions
of the flesh);
and to temperance, patience (under afflictions or the sufferance of evil, as courage is
used in encountering and averting evil);
and to patience, godliness (which is the only foundation of true patience or endurance.
Apart from godliness it is stoicism, or mere indifference),
and to godliness, brotherly kindness (the love of your Christian brethren);
and to brotherly kindness, charity¨ (the love of all). ( 1 Pet. 1:22 ).
Thus 'faith¨ is the source out of which all virtues must spring, and 'love¨ is the point
to which all such virtues tend. Hence, 'Whatsoever is not of faith is sin¨ ( Rom. 14:23 , ),
and 'the end of the commandment is love¨ ( 1 Tim. 1:5 ).
Another important figure is combined here with Polysyndeton (see under Climax
(which is repeated Anadiplosis ).
Rev. 1:11 . Here the seven churches are to be separated as being equal in importance,
and distinct in their position:
'What thou seest write in a book
and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus,
and unto Smyrna,
and unto Pergamos,
and unto Thyatira,
and unto Sardis,
and unto Philadelphia,
and unto Laodicea.¨
Rev. 3:17 . Here, the figure is used to bring out the Laodicean condition of soul.
'Because thou sayest, I am rich
and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing;
and knowest not that thou art wretched,
and miserable,
and poor,
and blind,
and naked.¨
Rev. 6:15 . Here, to show the universality of the fear which will be manifested when
'the great day of his wrath is come¨all classes of society are named and stated with all
formality in order to impress our minds:
and the kings of the earth,
and the great men,
and the rich men,
and the chief captains,
and the mighty men,
and every bondmen,
and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.¨
Rev. 12 This chapter is rendered remarkable by the figure of Polysyndeton . Forty-four
times the word 'and¨ is repeated, bringing before us a variety of details connected with
matters which are thus shown to be of the greatest possible importance. In chap. 5 , we
have the book written 'w , es then kai
opisthen ), pointing to its esoteric (or inner ) and exoteric (or outer ) meaning. What
follows in chaps, 611 , describes the exoteric or outside manifestationsevents which
will be seen by all; for chap. 11 carries us right on to the end, to the sounding of the
'seventh¨ or last trumpet, and thus covers the whole ground, even including Resurrection
and Judgment, and the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah. See 11:1518 , which is
coterminous with Rev. 20 .
Chapter 12 does not, therefore, go forward, but takes us back to the time, even before
chap. 5 , and gives us the esoteric or inner meaning, and reveals to us the sources,
springs, and secrets of all that leads up to the judgments recorded in chaps, 611 Chapters
1314 introduce supplementary information which must be read into those earlier
preceding chapters ( 611 ), showing the part that the Dragon and his agent the Antichrist
will have in them.
Chapter 12 is constructed as follows:.
REV. 12
A a 15 . The woman, the dragon, and the child.
b 6 . The woman`s flight, and its duration (1,260 days).
B , came to pass ).
A b 14 . The woman`s flight and its duration three years and a half
a 15 , 16 . The woman, the dragon, and the rest of her seed.
B 17 . War on earth.
Each of these members can, of course, be expanded. For example:
a: ( 15 ). The woman, the dragon, and the child .
The woman.
a c 1 . A great sign in heaven.
d 1 . A woman. Her description ('crown,¨ , a victor`s crown).
e 2 . Her action: and the child.
The dragon.
c 3 . Another great sign in heaven.
d 3 . The dragon. His description ('crowns,¨ , royal fillers)
(see only here, and 13:1 and 19:12 ).
e 4 , 5 . His action: and the child ( Dan. 8:10 ).
b: (verse 6 ) may be expanded thus: as may be also b (verse 14 ).
b f 6 . The woman: her flight.
g 6 . Her placethe wilderness.
f 6 . The woman: her nourishment.
g 6 . Her continuance1,260 days.
The larger member B: ( 713 ) may be thus shown:
B: ( 713 ) War in heaven .
B h 7 , 8 . Heaven. War in heaven.
i 9 . Earth. The dragon cast into the earth.
h 1012 . Heaven. Rejoicing in heaven.
i 13 . Earth. The dragon cast into the earth.
i (verse 9 ) thus:
The dragon cast out on earth.
i j 9 . The Dragon.
k 9 . Place; cast out into the earth.
j 9 . His angels.
k 9 . Place. Cast out with him.
h (verses 1012 ) thus:
Rejoicing in heaven.
h l 10 . Heaven. Rejoicing.
m 10 . Earth. Salvation come for it.
n 10 , 11 . Reason. 'For the accuser, etc.¨
l 12 . Heaven. Rejoicing.
m 12 . Earth. Woe to the inhabiters.
n 12 . Reason. 'For the devil is come down,¨ etc.
The woman and her seed and the dragon takes us back to Gen. 3 , where we see the
'enmity¨ placed between them. Thence we are taken to the woman (Israel), through
whom the child was to come, as seen in the call of Abraham, and in the establishment of
'Israel,¨ and his twelve sons, of which the twelve stars (the Zodiacal signs
*
) were the
symbols. (See Gen. 37 ).
The Zodiac is a certain zone of the heavens extending about 9° each side of the
Ecliptic. This is divided into twelve parts, each of which has its own peculiar 'sign.¨ The
word 'Zodiac¨ is not to be derived from , or , to live , or , a little animal
(for not all the signs are animals), but from a more ancient root through the Hebrew ,
to go, to go by steps, to step, to move slowly in a regular and stately manner. (See 2 Sam.
6:13 . Jer. 10:5 . Judges 5:4 . Ps. 68:8 . Hab. 3:12 ). The noun means a step . So that the
Zodiac is literally a way with steps . Its later Biblical name is Mazzaroth ( ), Job
38:32 (see margin); or Mazzaloth ( ), 2 Kings 23:5 (see margin), from the root
( azal ), to go or revolve, divided , as the Zodiac is divided into signs. Gesenius points out
that the Mazzaroth (from ) has another sense, and means to admonish, premonish,
presage . See Gen. 37:9 , 10 , where in Joseph`s prophetic dream he sees the whole
family represented as 'The sun, and the moon, and the eleven stars,¨ (himself being the
twelfth.
*
* Just as the seven stars in chap. 1 are the symbols of the Churches.
*
Ancient Jewish authorities hold that these twelve stars were the signs of the Zodiac. This
is, without doubt, the case. These 'stars¨ have been well called 'signs,¨ for in them is
written in the very heavens the history of redemption. Each of the symbolical figures is
pictured performing some typical action. From the earliest times, also, one was
appropriated to each of the twelve sons of Jacob. Josephus informs us that the tribes
carried these signs on the tribal standards. The Chaldee paraphrase, of a still earlier date,
says the same. The Targums also add their testimony. As the order of encampment is
described in Num. 1 and ii., the four tribes: Judah, Ephraim, Dan and Reuben are
equidistant. The sign of Judah was ' Leo ,¨ the lion; Ephraim`s was ' Taurus ,¨ the bull;
Dan`s was ' Scorpio ,¨ the scorpion (afterwards changed to the ' Aquila ,¨ the eagle); and
Reuben`s was ' Aquarius ,¨ the man. These four signs are at the four cardinal points of
the Zodiac, exactly corresponding with the position of the four tribes. It is interesting to
note that the sign now known as ' Libra ,¨ or, the scales, is not found in the more ancient
Zodiacs, its place being occupied by ' Ara ,¨ the altar, the top of which the sign or
hieroglyphic much more resembles. The idea contained in Libra, the scales, or Justice, is
the altar on which justice was satisfied. Libra or Ara was not borne on any of the
standards, Simeon and Levi being included under one ( Pisces ). Hence the place of Libra
, or rather of Ara , the altar, was the place occupied by the Tabernacle, and by the altar of
burnt offering itself. It is remarkable that the three decans, or constellations of Libra , or
Ara , are the Cross, the Victim, and the Crown.
The evidence is altogether too overwhelming for us to take these 'twelve stars¨ as
representing anything but Israel. It is a 'woman¨ that is seen, but her surroundings (of
The birth of the seed of this woman is set forth in the Old Testament in two distinct
prophecies, showing its two-fold character, one answering to 'the sufferings of Christ¨;
the other, to 'the glory that should follow.¨
In Isa. 7:14 , we have the Incarnation of 'EmmanuelGod with us¨ ( Matt. 1:23 ).
While, in Isa. 9:6 , 7 , we have the birth presented, with the scene of humiliation
overleaped.
The former is the 'suffering¨ aspect: the latter is the 'glory¨ aspect of the birth of this
Child.
It is remarkable that in Matthew(the gospel of the kingdom)we have the
suffering aspect from Isa. 7:14 ; while in Lukethe gospel of Christ as manwe have
the glory aspect from Isa. 9:6 , 7 . See and compare Luke 1:3133 .
In Rev. 7:5 , it is this latter, or the glory aspect of Messiah`s birth that is presented, as
referred to in Pss. 2 and 87 It leaps over the 'sufferings of Christ,¨ and over the whole of
the interval of this present dispensation, and goes forward at once to the time when He
shall reign over and rule all nations. 'Who was to rule¨ (verse 5 ) is ( mellei ), and
means 'who is to rule all nations.¨ It passes from the birth of the man-child, and goes on
at once to 'the glory which should follow, when the government shall be upon his
shoulder.¨
It is Christ Personal therefore, in the first instance, who is the subject of this
prophecy. He was the 'man-child¨ 'caught up to God and His throne.¨
But this does not exhaust the prophecy. The word rendered 'man-child¨ in verse 5 is
a peculiar word.
*
The R.V. renders it 'a son, a man child.¨ Here it is, according to all the
critical texts (including the Revi ( arsen ). Now
here is neuter , and therefore cannot possibly refer to any one individual. It cannot
apply to either a man or a woman. The mother of this child is not an individual! but is
collective and composite. So also is the child.
f
sun and moon, and the twelve signs of the Zodiac) show that she personifies
emblematically the whole nation of Israel.
See The Witness of the Stars by the same author and publisher.
( arseen ), occurs only in Matt. 19:4 . Mark 10:6 . Luke
2:23 . Gal. 3:28 , where in each case the sex is emphatic.
f We have a similar example of a neuter word including both sexes in the word
( gunaikaria ), in 2 Tim. 3:6 , where it is rendered 'silly women.¨ But it
occurs only here, and is neuter . It therefore includes silly women of both sexes!
Some see in this 'man-child¨ the Church of God. But the Church is neither 'woman¨
nor 'child,¨ 'neither male nor female¨ ( Gal. 3:28 ). The Church is 'one new man¨ in
Christ ( Eph. 2:15 ). The Church was before creation, ' before the foundation of the
world¨ ( Eph. 1:4 ), and is not, therefore, the subject of prophecy, as is the kingdom and
dominion in the earth, which was ' from the foundation of the world¨ ( Matt. 13:35 ;
25:34 , etc.).
On the other hand, we have such distinct prophecies in the Old Testament of this
woman and her child that it surprising any should fail to connect them.
A time is coming when a new nation is to be brought forth in Israel; a nation bringing
forth the fruits which Israel should have brought forth; the nation referred to in Matt.
21:43 .
Concerning that day Jehovah bids Zion to 'sing¨ ( Isa. 54:110 ).
Of that day Jehovah has said, 'Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain
came, she was delivered of a MAN-CHILD . Who hath heard such a thing? who hath
seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be
born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her children¨ ( Isa. 66:514
).
Again Micah 4:9 , 10 distinctly foretells this travail of Zion; while chap. 5:2 , 3
connects together this composite man-child. In verse 3 , we have the birth of Him, who
shall be 'ruler in Israel.¨ His rejection by His people is not named, but the consequent
rejection of His people by Him both implies it and contains it; for, in the next verse, we
read, 'Therefore will He give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath
brought forth; then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel.
And He shall stand and rule ( marg. ) in the strength of the LORD , in the majesty of the
name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends
of the earth.¨
Surely, if there is any connection whatever between prophecy and its fulfilment, we
have it in Rev. 12 , where we see in this woman, Zion, 'travailing in birth, and pained to
be delivered¨ (verse 2 ), and the dragon standing 'before the woman which was ready to
be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.¨
This was true of Messiah, and it will be true of the servant (the composite 'child¨), as
the rest of the chapter goes on to explain.
It is this birth of a nation 'in one day,¨ which will lead to the 'war in heaven,¨
*
(see
Dan. 10:20 ; 12:1 ), and lead to the Dragon`s being cast out into the earth. This will bring
on the crisis described in this chapter and chapter xiii. (See 2 Thess. 2:6 , under Ellipsis .
* See a small pamphlet, Things to Come , by the same author and publisher.
The chapter is too long to quote here in full, but if all the many 'ands¨ be noted and
marked, the importance of all these details will be at once noticed. See the next example.
Rev. 13:1–9 . Here the figure is used to mark, to emphasize, and to call our attention to
the solemn events, which will follow upon Satan`s being cast out into the earth, to find no
more place in heaven ( 12:8 ). Forty-five times the word 'and¨ is repeated in this chapter!
Rev. 12 is the key to the Apocalypse for the events recorded in it are Preliminary to
the events recorded in the earlier part of the book.
First of all comes the taking up of the Body of Christ ( 12:5 ) which causes the 'war
in heaven ( 12:712 ), and ends in the casting out of Satan. This is the great event which
is the beginning of the end, and which ushers in the Apocalyptic scenes and judgments.
*
Consequent on this follows a great persecution of Israel; which will be to those who
are left, the first exoteric or visible sign of the Devil`s 'great wrath¨ ( 12:12 ). But this
persecution will for a time be thwarted. 'The earth¨ will 'help the woman¨ ( 12:16 ).
That is to say, the settled state of the peoples of the earth will stop this persecution.
Then the Dragon at once proceeds to organise his great rebellion. In the Greek the
twelfth chapter ends with the first sentence of chap. xiii.: where, as in the R.V. , the true
reading is'And HE stood upon the sand of the sea.¨ The best MSS., with Lachmann,
Tregelles, Alford, and We ( estathee ), he stood , not
( estatheen ), I stood .
That is to say, the settled state of 'the earth¨ preventing the destruction of Israel, the
Dragon takes his post upon the sand of 'the sea¨ and out of the waters and the earth (of
the peoples) he calls up the two Beasts of chap. 13 .his last two great instruments,the
'Antichrist¨ and the 'False Prophet,¨by which he will seek to carry out his purposes.
( anabainon , present participle
), rising or mounting up , not 'rise up¨ as in A.V. The R.V. has 'coming up.¨ John sees
the first Beast 'rising up out of the sea¨ (implying a gradual rather than a sudden act):
and the second Beast out of 'the earth¨ (verse 11 ).
And then he proceeds to describe their characters and their deeds. The figure of
Polysyndeton (a remarkable example) calls our attention to the many important details,
each one of which is to be dwelt upon by us as being full of meaning and instruction:
And he stood upon the sand of the sea (i.e., the dragon, when cast out from heaven),
and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea having seven heads,
* Chap. 9:1 , though coming before chap. 7 ., records a vision subsequent to it. John says,
'I saw a star lying fallen ( pept kota ) from heaven.¨ not "'all,¨ as in A.V.
R.V. has 'fallen.¨
and ten horns,
and upon his horns ten crowns,
and upon his heads the names of blasphemy;
and the beast which I saw was like a leopard (a combination of Daniel`s beasts in one,
Dan. 7 ) (a leopard is Greece),
and his feet were as the feet of a bear (Persia),
and his mouth as the mouth of a lion (Babylon),
and the dragon gave him his power (six times we have in this chapter 'it was given
him¨),
and his seat (or throne, 2:13 ; 16:10 ),
and great authority ( Luke 4:6 . 2 Thess. 2:9 , 10 ).
and I saw one of his heads, as it were, wounded to death (similar to verses 6 , 12 , 14 ),
and his deadly wound was healed;
and all the world wondered [ and followed ] after the beast ( 3:10 . 2 Thess. 2:11 , 12 ),
and they worshipped the dragon (this is the one great object, aim, and end of Satan, Matt.
4:9 ) which gave power unto the beast;
and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make
war with him? (Compare Ex. 15:3 , 11 , for the blasphemy.)
and there was given to him a mouth, speaking great things and blasphemies ( 2 Thess.
2:4 ),
and authority was given him to continue forty and two months ( Dan. 7:25 ),
and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name ( Dan. 7:8 ,
11 , 20 , 25 ; 11:36 . Ps. 52 : 2 Thess. 2:4 ),
and his tabernacle (whither the saints have been previously taken),
and them that dwell in heaven ( i.e. , the body of Christ which shall have been caught up,
when the accuser has been cast down).
and it was given him to make war with the saints ( Dan. 7:21 , 25 ; 11:4044 ),
and to overcome them ( Dan. 8:12 , 24 ; 11:28 , 3033 ; 12:7 ):
and power was given him ( John 19:11 ) over all kindreds,
and tongues,
and nations (as with Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3:7 );
and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him ( 2 Thess. 2:11 , 12 ), whose names
are not written in the book of life ( Matt. 24:24 . Dan. 12:1 . These are they who '
overcome ¨ him 2:7 , 11 , 17 , 26 ; 3:5 , 12 , 21 ; 12:11 ) of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. If any man have an ear to hear, let him hear.¨
*
This chapter contains two visions relating to two Beasts
*
: the first, the Antichrist; the
second, the 'False Prophet.¨ The first is the false Christ, and the second is the falseand
satanic counterfeit of the Holy Ghost. The second is marked, like the first, by the figure
of Polysyndeton .
The structure of this chapter is very remarkable. In the Greek the first sentence forms
the end of chap. 12 . So we commence with the second 'And I saw¨:
The Vision of the Two Beasts ( Rev. 13 ).
A 1 . The vision ( ), 'And I saw.¨
B 1 . The first Beast (Antichrist).
C , rising ).
D 1 , 2 . His description.
E 2 . His power ( ) derived from the dragon.
F 38 . His deeds.
G a 9 . The Spirit`s call: 'Let him hear.¨
b 10 . The lesson: 'Here is patience and faith.¨
A 11 . The vision ( ), 'And I saw.¨
B 11 . The second Beast. 'The False Prophet¨ ( 16:13 ; 19:20 ).
C , rising ).
* See 2 Thess 2 , under Ellipsis and Correspondence .
D 11 . His description.
E ) derived from the first Beast.
F 1217 . His deeds.
G b 18 . The lesson: 'Here is wisdom.¨
a 18 . The Spirit`s call: 'Let him count.¨
Here A to F and A to F relate to the Beasts, while G and G relate to the saints. The
order of the two members of G and G is an introversion, to make them off from the rest.
Rev. 18:12 , 13 . Here the figure heaps up and amasses the wealth of Babylon. Each
item is to be dwelt upon: there is no climax:
'The merchandise of gold,
and silver,
and precious stones,
and of pearls,
and fine linen (merchandise, not the gift of grace as with the Bride, 19:8 , 'granted¨ to
her: her righteous award ),
and purple,
and silk,
and scarlet,
and all thyine wood,
and all manner of vessels of ivory,
and all manner of vessels of most precious wood,
and of brass,
and iron,
and marble,
and cinnamon ( amomum , an Italian shrub of sweet odour),
and odours,
and ointments,
and frankincense,
and wine,
and oil,
and fine flour,
and wheat,
and beasts (of burden),
and sheep,
and horses,
and chariots,
and slaves,
*
and souls of men.
Many other examples of Polysyndeton are to be found, e.g ., Num. 20 : 2 Chron.
32:27 , 28 , 29 , 30 . Isa. 3:1824 . Zeph 1:15 , 16 . Mark 4:19 . Eph. 1:21 . Phil. 4:9 .
Rev. 11:17 , 18 ; 20:915 ; 21:8 and 2227 ; 22:16 , 17 .